Archive of Our Own ^beta

Peter was fucking tired. He spent the majority of the previous night working on a better version of Rhodey’s leg braces at his desk and lost track of time. 

He made his way to the kitchen, not bothering to change his clothes. Who cares if he’s still in his pjs?

It’s not like anyone’s in the penthouse. Tony’s still down in the lab, whilst pepper has been on a business trip in Hong Kong and will not be back until dinner. 

He made himself a bowl of cereal, and sat himself on top of the fridge, like usual, and started swinging his legs a bit.

Peter was on his second bowl when he heard the elevator doors open. 

he lifted his gaze to see who it was, and it was probably the biggest mistake of his life.

The Avengers.

Wait, what?

Why are they here? 

He knew the avengers were coming back, being pardoned and all, but he didn’t know they would be here so soon. ‘Are they staying here?  Oh fuck. shit.’

He maybe wasn’t so ready to ‘meet’ them, but he would try and have some fun with it. It’s not his fault if he’s a petty person and, maybe, still angry with Steve Rogers. A little bit. 

With the living room and the kitchen being an open space, he could see the elevator doors, but anyone couldn’t see him unless they looked to their right and up. He turned to the elevator, watching as Hawkeye and The Falcon made their way to the sofa, plopping down on it without a second thought.

Like it was their house.  

Captain America, Black Widow and a reluctant Winter Soldier made their way to the kitchen. 

The first two were deep in a conversation about the accords [‘ugh, can’t they talk about anything else?’] while the latter was subtly looking around.

Just as he turned his head towards him, Peter decided it was his time to speak up. 

“Hi”

Captain America jumped as he turned around, while the winter soldier just stared at him, a strange look on his face. They hadn’t sensed anyone. The black widow was impassible, like always.

As they turned around, they saw a kid, a teenager, sitting on the fridge, wearing ironman pajamas. 

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” He asked, with his usual superior tone. Peter really couldn’t stand him. Here. On his feet. Looking like nothing happened while his dad was-

Peter just looked at Steve, an unimpressed look on his face as he lifted his almost empty bowl. “I'm pretty sure you guys had breakfasts in the 40s. Can’t you see what I'm doing?” 

Natasha looked like she was trying to suppress a smirk as Steve glared at him. 

“I asked who you are. How did you get in here?” 

It looked like Barton and Wilson heard them, because they made his way to the kitchen as well. Clint was trying, and failing, to subtly reach for a throwing knife he kept in his right pocket. 

“I’ll leave the knife there, if i were you, Hawkeye. It isn’t polite to threat who’s letting you stay here”

”you’re not ‘letting us stay here’, Tony is. Now answer the questions son.”

”Don't call me son. And, you see, I don't think I'm gonna answer your questions. I don’t like you, capsicle, so ‘m not going to speak with you anymore” 

“Wow Cap, what did you do? This kid is really holding a grudge against you” Clint was trying really hard not to burst out laughing. 

“N-“ 

“Don’t say nothing because i swear to Thor i will punch you” peter said, shoving his spoon towards Steve. 

that got a few surprised stares from the others. It wasn’t everyday that you see, or, in this case, hear, a teenager swearing to punch a superhero and sounding dead serious. 

This time, Natasha was the one to speak up. “Pete, where’s your father?” At that, everyone turned to the spy, Steve looking confused and Clint looking strangely.. betrayed? 

Peter turned to her, there was something in his eyes that the rogues couldn’t decipher.

 “Hey nat. I think he's in his lab? Maybe he’s sleeping, but I highly doubt that. I can call him if you want?” 

He heard Sam mumble something to Steve along the lines of “how come she’s Nat and you’re popsicle? This is hilarious”

”Please, Pete, call him” Natasha sounded exasperated. Peter could probably spare her, and just ask Friday to get his dad, but he was having fun, honestly, in getting on the Captain’s nerves. So, he just sent her an apologetic look before returning to his cereals, and said “hey Fri, could you activate the protocol ‘Home Invasion’ please?” 

“Sure Peter. Protocol ‘Home Invasion’ has been activated and Boss notified. Do you want me to notify ms. Potts too?” 

“No, there’s no need to notify her either. She’s on a business trip. Thank you, Fri” 

“No problem, Peter”

Always on point, Steve decided to speak, “Home Invasion?” 

Peter fought the urge to roll his eyes, and replied with slight annoyace

“Yeah, home invasion. This is my home, and you’re invading. It’s not that difficult, Capsicle. Did all that time in the ice damage your brain?”. 

Steve just rolled is eyes, promptly deciding to ignore the snarky comments from the boy and the snickers from Natasha and Clint. “How come you live here? How could a teenager just be in the tower? The only people that live here are Pepper and Tony. Who are you? Their son? Yeah, right. Let’s be honest. He’s not really father material.” 

“You don't get to talk about him like that. Who do you think you are?” 

Everyone paused for a moment.  

“He-“ 

"Cap-" Someone started, but Peter didn't care enough to let them finish. 

Peter jumped down from the fridge, taking the few steps that separated him from Steve.

“no. Shut up. I’M talking. You have no right to talk about him like that, because you don’t know him. You didn’t even try to get to know him. You left him to die. Alone, and in the cold. You used the shield that his father made for you as a lethal weapon, you hit his arc reactor, what kept him alive, with that ugly piece of metal.” 

He could see the rouges changing their stances, ready to fight. Natasha didn’t. “Pete, you have to calm down”

He spared her a glance. “No. I don’t have to do anything.”

he turned back to Steve, “You were supposed to be friends, but you left him. You thought he was wrong for attacking you guys? Bucky here killed his parents! What was he supposed to do? Act calmly because you asked nicely?” 

“B-“ 

“i’m still talking, so shut the fuck up!”   

Peter was so focused on Captain America that he didn’t hear the ding of the elevator and its doors opening. 

“Hey Roos, Friday called me, they were supposed to arrive tonight so-“

When Tony stepped out of the elevator, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight in front of him. He didn’t expect them to be in the penthouse already. He should’ve asked Friday. 

Peter was basically in Steve’s face, screaming at him while he paled, the others, who at first were looking between the two, started looking at Tony too.

“Son, i don’t think you know the whole story, you weren’t there and-“ 

“oh, I was there. I was there when we fought in Germany, mr. Brooklyn, and I was there when you dropped a multi-ton jetway on me.” 

Realisation seemed to cross Steve's face, and (if possible) he paled even more. 

“You were both wrong, but you were too far up your ass to see that.” 

Tony, realising what they were talking about (read: what Peter was screaming about), decided it was time to intervene. 

He stepped up to Peter, putting a hand on his shoulder and forcing him to turn.

”hey kid, stop that now. We don’t scream at our guests, now, do we?” 

Peter seemed to relax, even if just a little when Tony got behind him.

”no, usually i don’t, but i'm still angry with him”

Steve seemed ready to open his mouth again, but, instead of peter, it was tony who shut him up. 

”cap, i really suggest you shut your mouth, because the only thing that seems to be stopping my kid from hurting you, right now, is me”

The rogues (minus Natasha, obviously) seemed surprised to hear that.

Well, it’s not everyday that you hear Anthony Edward Stark “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” {and apparently, dad now} call some random teenager his kid.

‘His kid?’ 

‘How strong is he if Tony's worried about the kid hurting Steve?’ 

“Wait- does this mean that the kid is the spider kid?” Sam was quite shocked, he got his ass beaten by a fucking child?

”Spiderman” grumbled Peter, crossing his arms. 

At that, hell breaks loose. 

The avengers started to ask questions all together, Nat, being the only one who already knew, just stared at Tony (ok, maybe she was still angry about it).

Peter couldn’t really make out the question in all the chaos, but they went from Tony having a kid, to the kid in question going to Germany. And it was starting to be painful for Peter, given his super hearing.

His father must have noticed, because the grip on his shoulder tightened.  

There was one question that everyone was able to make out though. 

“I almost made him an orphan?” That was followed by silence, and everyone turned to look at Steve, who was leaning against the counter. 

“Ok, we’ll get back on that. Maybe. First thing first: one at a time, please. And try not to scream too much, the kid’s got sensible ears" Tony sent a wink to his son, who in return stuck out his tongue to him. 

Sam was the first to speak up. “You let your own kid come to germany?” 

Tony rolled his eyes, but replied nonetheless. “No, I didn't let him. He didn’t really gave me a choice” 

the avengers turned to peter, not really knowing what to expect, but it really wasn’t to see the kid with a smug face, “i really didn’t”. 

Clint was next, “Since when do you have a kid? How old are you, by the way? Jesus, you look twelve”, he eyed the kid suspiciously. 

“Hey! I’m not twelve. I’m almost seventeen!” Peter protested, but maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do, because Clint started massaging his temple. 

“Oh god, he can’t even drive yet” 

“Did you make your kid a suit so he could be a superhero? Stick to walls, shoot webs etc?” Natasha was leaning against the counter, munching on some chips. Where the fuck did they come from? 

“He did make me the suit, upgrading the one I had before, but it’s not the suit that makes me stick to walls. And I made my own web shooters, thank you very much”. 

“What are you? A little genius or something?” 

“Well, I mean, he’s Tony's child, so..” 

“Yes, Sam. I know. You don’t- Wait. What do you mean it’s not the suit? You can stick to walls without it?!” 

As to demonstrate, Peter Jumped to the ceiling. 

“Oh, god. I need to sit down.” 

“Why do you think I chose a Spider as theme? I was bitten by one. 

And, by the way, dad did try to stop me. Both from coming to Germany and to being Spiderman, but once he realised he couldn’t stop me, he helped me, along with mom, of course.

they set a bunch of rules for me to follow, and if i don’t, then i’m grounded for an indefinite period of time, meaning: no lab time, no patrol, and no movie night”

Everyone was speechless. This kid was Spiderman, Queen’s vigilante. 

“You already knew. Didn’t you, Romanoff?” 

“Uh, what? How could she? We just got pardoned” 

“I used to work for Tony before the Avengers Initiative. I knew about Peter of course, I even used to babysit him on rare occasions and trained him sometimes, even after Ultron, so when we fought in Germany i had suspicions he was the Mаленький паук” 

The spy had a playful smirk on her lips as she watched how Peter flushed under the spotlight and covered his face. 

“Мама-паук, please stop talking”

Tony ruffled his hair, and at his hey! Stop messing with my hair! He chuckled, but didn’t take his hand away. 

”they were already messy bambino”. 

Tony ordered shawarma for lunch, trying to forget that morning and they fell into light conversation.

The team watched as the father & son duo kept bantering through the meal. 

They wondered how nobody noticed it before, how tony managed to hide his son for seventeen years. 

“Hey, Tony, how did you do it? How have you kept Peter hidden? How come nobody figured it out?” 

“Well, for one, he’d been living with a distant cousin of mine since I was first kidnapped. Happy, my bodyguard, and May, my cousin, were dating at the time, and were the only ones we told about the pregnancy. We were scared someone else could find out about him and take him instead of me, hurt him to get to me. 

May lives a block away from the tower, so she would bring him to school, and Happy would pick him up and bring him here under the impression that pete was his son, and he needed to take him to work, and bla bla. 

To the world, I was being a man with a good heart, who would let his bodyguard take his kid to work, while in reality, I was just spending time with my son.

And, giving that Happy lives at the tower, half the time they would be stayin’ here, and peter would sleep on my floor, while the other half, he would sleep at his aunt’s place”. 

That left everyone looking at Tony in a state of disbelief and shock. God, What a life. 

“Oh! I almost forgot. Dad! I’ve been working on uncle Rhodey’s braces and I think I found a way to make them thinner without reducing the functionality.

i need you to check my work though before i do anything and i wanted uncle rhodey to come to the lab too so i could check…” 

The team fell silent as the teen kept rambling about the project. 

He was truly Tony’s son. 

“I’ll check it later, bambino. And I think Rhodey will stop by over the summer. But first, before you work on the braces, I want you to meet someone.” 

Peter perked up at that. It wasn’t everyday that Tony was introducing new people to peter.

”Do you remember when, with the Mandarin, you had to stay with your aunt and Jarvis took me to Tennessee? Well-“ 

“OH MY GOD. Am I finally meeting the Potato Boy?! Fuck yes!”

”Language” Clint and Natasha murmured at the same time, causing a general laugh, while Steve said “Oh c’mon! It was one time!” 

—

“Wait- Tony.  Is your son wearing iron man pyjamas?” 

They laughed more.

[except for Peter, who matched the red of the Iron man suit].