ironstrange oneshots

High school AU (9/?)

Tony leaves the room and Peter giggles sleepily, looking down at his cast and Tony's signature.

"Steph look how cool the signature is. The writing is cool."

Stephen nods half-heartedly and Peter tilts his head.

"What's up? You okay?"

Stephen smiles slightly but shakes his head.

"Don't worry about me, Peter. You just got your body crushed under a building."

He fake glares and takes a drink of the water on his bedside, looking at Stephen with a sceptical look and when he finishes he glares.

"Stephen. It's very obvious you're bothering me and I'm gonna kick you out my hospital room."

This time Stephen does laugh a little then, which makes Peter feel slightly better, and then sighs, shaking his head.

"Alright, okay. Uh. Earlier tonight, Tony called me and said he...He had feelings about me. And I asked him to wait at his house until he arrives, so I go and get flowers. I was gonna call you and tell you about it because I know you've always wanted us to be together, but then all of that stuff happened with the building. So I wrote on the note thing but I just...I know it wasn't enough. I know he's upset with me because I should have done something better, but I was worried about you."

Peter looks down with regretful eyes, mumbling out a sorry and looking down directly at his cast.

Oh god, now he's upset Peter too.

"Peter don't be upset, it's not your fault...What even happened tonight? I know you were as Spider-Man but who was it?"

Peter shrugs and goes to readjust the pillows before Stephen does it for him, helping him sit up properly.

"I don't know man. It was some..guy. He had weird metal blade wings and a stupid mask with green glowing eyes. He was doing illegal deals of weapons and they were crazy futuristic and stuff, I went to stop him but...You know what happened."

Stephen nods and reaches out, putting his hand on Peter's arm and trying to give him a comforting smile.

"You did great still Pete. You managed to bring him down with you, they found him under the rubble too."

Peters eyes widen and Stephen cant quite tell what the emotion behind them is.

"Really?" 

Stephen nods again and sees a little bit of a smile on Peters face. "So I took him down? He's gonna go to jail?"

"Yep. You did it. You're a hero." 

Peter laughs a little and shrugs.

"Just looking out for the little guy...Wait did anyone find out about the uh...Spider-Man?"

He whispers the last part and Stephen shakes his head.

"No. I told them it was just a really advanced fake suit and you wanted to do the right thing."

Peter laughs at that and throws his head back.

"What?! C'mon man I was stressed- and it worked!"

They both laugh but then Stephen starts thinking about Tony again, and Stephens smile falls and so does Peters.

"Sorry about Tony. He really cares about you Steph. We both know that. He will forgive you and will understand y'know, a person's life was in danger. But I don't think the fact you came to help me was the problem, I think it was that you never said you liked him back...Why didn't you?"

The other shakes his head and shrugs.

"I. I don't know. I just couldn't. I was scared. I thought maybe he was tricking me for a joke or something and I also didn't want to confess over the phone which is why I went to get flowers. But now I know I really screwed up."

Peter pauses before he nods.

"Yeah. Yeah you kind of did." 

Stephen huffs a laugh and looks at the floor.

"Well. You should tell him still-you want to date him I mean. You need to confess."

Stephen knows he does, he knows it's the right thing to do and the only thing he can do to try and fix it. But now isn't the right time. Peter's hurt badly and it's more important than anything else.

"I think I'm gonna wait a while..."

Peter looks at him, disbelief covering his face, before looking down at his bed again.

'𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘪𝘵,' Peter thinks. '𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦.'

"Honestly, I'm in shock of how Christine ever even considered dating you dude. The longer you wait, the more convinced Tony is gonna be in his head that you don't feel the same way or even care about him."

Stephen raises an eyebrow at Peter who just looks back down at his cast.

"Okay then, relationship expert, how much experience do you have?"

He gives Stephen an innocent grin while looking back up again and answering.

"Close to none. But you know what I am an expert on? Tony. I could have a PhD in Anthony Edward Stark-ology, so I don't even need to talk to him to know what he wants, even needs, from you right now. He needs you to go and talk to him and tell you how you feel and why you did what you did."

Peters grin lessons to a more sympathetic smile and Stephen can't think of an argument. Tony is more closed off with him than Peter but he still knows him, and he knows that Peter's right.

"You did mess up Stephen but...In an overall sense, I think it was the right decision. Just the little intricacies like the flower note and not saying things back screwed you over in the long run. But you could go and make it up to him right now. There's nothing stopping you. He wants to talk to you, so go and talk to him."

Stephen nods yet again to reassure himself and stands up, a little more confidence with him than he had before.

"Okay. Okay I'll go and talk to him...But after him and May get back. Unless they went to different places to each other?"

Panicked thoughts are running through Stephen's head again and Peter gives him a look basically telling him to cut it out and calm down. 

"Just wait until they get back, ask Tony to speak somewhere. He'll say yes and then you can talk about it out there or outside the hospital or both go home I dunno, and it will all be okay."

"Right, but what if he says no?"

Peter takes a couple of agonizingly long seconds in Stephens opinion to think about this before answering.

"Well, if he says no,  I think you might just wanna give up."

Fantastic.

"...Very reassuring. Thank you, Peter." 

He gives a proud smile and Stephen rolls his eyes. 

"You're welcome."

Peter takes a pen off the bedside table again and Stephen sighs dramatically, already knowing what he's going to ask.

"Maybe for bestowing my knowledge on you, you could return the favour and sign my cast?"