Chapter Text
There just wasn’t much to say about it, which may sound surprising from someone who galivants as a spider-themed superhero. But maybe it was especially because of that very reason. He was terrified of spiders.
The little arachnids made him shake and tremble in fear. His eyes would get watery and his throat would lose all its moisture. His stomach churned in dismay, and his temples would throb. He knew many would call that crippling, Peter realistically knew it was but it wasn’t something he’d like to admit.
And there really wasn’t any reason to admit it either, spiders aren’t stopping him from living his life. They’re not keeping him up at night. Aside from the one where he was drowning in a mountain of spiders while he screamed and they tried crawling down his throat. That dream made sleep that much less appealing.
But otherwise there wasn’t anything, he was a Spider-Man. Sure it had been a tedious task to push through the photos and terms he’d come across. But yeah, he was fine. No spiders around to bother him, especially with May around.
You’d have thought it was Ben who killed all the spiders, but May took satisfaction in it like no other. Thinking about it now, his feelings were a little mixed on that.
But as long as she smashed the little bug, whether it be with a boot or a wad of paper towels and didn’t use any pesticides or peppermint that would grate on his every last nerve; he could breathe normally. So, Peter couldn’t be happier to have his aunt around to free their shared living space from any possible arachnid invaders.
He especially didn’t have to worry about it when at the compound. The building was immaculate. Much like his mentor, then again he did design it. Speaking of his mentor, Peter couldn’t imagine the look he’d receive if he’d found out about his little fear.
He’d probably laugh at him, or scold him for being scared of something so small especially when that little fear was his gimmick. The teen really would hate to look foolish in front of the man, he’d done so too many times, not including the times he had actually done something wrong and was being scolded.
Both left him humiliated, and his little fear of spiders honestly would only send him reeling into that feeling again. Peter continued on to his room, not sparing the other occupants any second glances.
The team may have been back together, but it would never be the same. He was an Avenger now, but the other’s still didn’t treat him as such. At least Mr. Stark did, most of the time.
Steve had been cordial, Clint had been a little terse but only because he was conflicted about his age. But more often than not it was Clint actively making him laugh, sometimes the jokes were a little mean but he was quick to reconcile.
Unlike Bucky and Sam who just flat out picked on him, it may come off jokingly but Peter could never see the humor in it. He’d been bullied all his life, he knew it when it was happening.
Natasha his fellow spider had been quite playful with him at times; When she wasn’t she wasn’t rude and simply gave a slight acknowledge of his presence and continued on with whatever she was doing.
Considering that seemed to be what she did with everyone, besides Clint, so, he assumed it was normal.
Vision and Wanda were caught up between one another to not pay too much attention to him, but Peter did often find himself baking with the other young Avenger. She had been so excited when she figured out his spider-sense would sometimes go off when something was about to burn. To her that made him a little more useful in the kitchen than her beloved.
Peter had yet to meet Thor and Bruce, the two were still off on wherever they’d gone those few years ago. Thor had gone off in search of answers and stones, while Bruce...well no one knows what happened to him.
Peter hoped one day they’d meet. Considering Tony seemed a little upset whenever Bruce had been brought up, Peter knew not to voice his wishes.
“Fri?” Peter called out, feet taking him toward the kitchen while his neck stung for a second.
“I’ve already turned off the stove Mr. Parker,” she assured, Peter nodded at that peeking in as Wanda looked down at her cake with a smile. She turned as she heard him enter, giving a soft smile.
“Awe thank you for saving it,”
“No problem,” Peter returned, hopping up onto one of the counters as she set a five-minute timer for the cake to cool down so she could ice it. The two waited, both raising a brow when Sam and Bucky came by.
Nearly laughing and then laughing, looking at the young arachnid as they continued on. Wanda raised a brow and looked to the young spider for answers yet Peter only shrugged his shoulders. He never knew with them.
“Maybe you should tell Tony or Steve, I’m sure they’d sort everything out,” Wanda gave a soft smile, she knew, she could sense how much Peter was bothered by those two. She’d tried speaking up about the two’s behavior in the past but they’d brushed her off again, saying they were only joking.
The two could only assume in that since they were the youngest they’d be treated a little unfairly, especially Peter in that he was the youngest. Personally, Peter and Wanda still didn’t see it as a good enough reason to pick on him.
Wanda wasn’t picked on at least, really she was more overlooked since no one wanted to fight her. But Peter wondered if they realized he was just as dangerous, maybe even more so if he really wanted.
Of course, he wouldn’t hurt someone though and they knew that. Maybe that was why they continued to push his buttons.
“No, I um, wouldn’t want to bother Steve. And you know why I don’t want to go to Tony,” Peter murmured, Tony and Bucky still didn’t quite get along. Peter couldn’t blame him though, even if Bucky wasn’t in control when he’d...Tony still had every right to be afraid.
Peter also didn’t want to admit that when Tony noticed Bucky and him in the same area, he’d be pulled closer almost as if Tony feared he’d lose him too and it felt good. It felt as if Tony cared for him as if he was his family.
He didn’t enjoy how when the two were in the same area the man’s heart would race, he wasn’t okay with how the person he cared so deeply for was afraid in his own home. It didn’t seem fair, but even if Tony didn’t know it or even realize it. Peter would fight to the bitter end if need be.
They could protect each other. They would.
“What flavor icing should I use?” She asked instead, wanting to change the topic of conversation. Peter chose vanilla, wondering what else would you use for a red velvet cake. Chocolate didn’t sound all that appealing for reasons he didn’t know, but he guessed that didn’t matter much. He still got cake.
“Well let’s eat some cake, and we can plan a little revenge later,” She joked, but the serious look she gave after proved it wasn’t just a joke.
“Turns out Sam has a thing about ants and I don’t know about Bucky,” Peter admitted, taking the offered slice and swinging his legs so they bumped the counter.
“We could just cut his hair,” Wanda spoke, taking a bite of her slice and slowly pulling back the fork to get all the leftover crumbs and frosting.
“It looks better short personally, I’m not trying to do him any favors,” Peter laughed in response, taking the milk offered from the witch.
“I smell cake!” They could hear Clint scream from nowhere, and suddenly come rushing in. Nearly falling and braining himself on the counter before Wanda caught him with her magic.
“There is cake,” Peter stated, as Wanda cut the older man a slice and handed it over. Moving to get a fork but the older man simply shoved his face in before he walked over to the bar stools and took a seat.
“I love you two,” He murmured, frosting sticking to his nostrils and chin.
“Love you too,” the younger red heroes chirped in unison, Peter graciously accepting his second helping to the cake and slurping on his milk.
“Do you guys know what that empty package is in the living room?” Clint asked suddenly, only for them to shake their heads.
“Fri?” Peter spoke up, wondering himself.
“The package was ordered by Sam, it’s contents are unknown,” Friday spoke up, the two other occupants looking to the teen with a quirked brow.
“Did you know she only responds to ‘Fri’ when it’s you or Tony or Rhodey?” Wanda informed. The teens face scrunched ever so slightly at that, now that Peter thought about it he hasn’t ever heard anyone else call her ‘Fri’.
“Oh,” Peter exclaimed surprised, fingers trailing over the porcelain plate in his hand before he set it down in the sink and hopped off the counter. Wanda fished through the cabinets until she found the saran wrap and wrapped the cake up before stuffing it in the fridge. A buzz went off in the boy’s pocket, so he took the phone out and fished through his messages until he found Ned’s.
“Yo dude, that new comics out! Read it,” Peter hummed at that, sauntering out with a last ‘thank you’. Peter didn’t spare a second glance at the open container on the table as he continued to his room.
Taking a seat at his desk, Peter could hear his sense purr ever so slightly and something heavy crawled up his back and settled on his shoulder. The door opened and he could hear both Sam and Bucky snickering in the doorway.
Going deathly still, Peter could already feel his temples throb and sweat gather at the nape of his neck. His peripheral could see the black and orange creature tap its legs. He couldn’t breathe, not with his throat going so god damn dry it felt as if a smoking cloud was sitting in its base.
His eyes watered and Peter couldn’t help the trembling that consumed his hands, “Spider,” Peter more or less gasped out. Feeling the large arachnid start to travel down his collar-bone, the laughing only got louder as the boy squeezed his eyes shut trying to keep the tears at bay.
Peter couldn’t help but let a dry sob out when the arachnid jumped from his chest onto the desk, taking the opportunity Peter jumped from the chair and ran off to get out the door. Peter almost didn’t care that they were standing in front of it, not until he barrelled through them.
“Get the spider,” he could hear Falcon say, as Peter ended up screaming.
“Get it away from me,” The teen continued to blindly run through the compound, the other two soldiers in tow. When he reached the living room he could already see Steve standing looking ready to pounce at any possible threat.
Peter quickly hid behind the blond man, begging, pleading and hugging to the man’s back. “Don’t let it near me, please get it away from me, please, please,”
It was then the two managed to get in the room, stopping at a very pissed looking Steve standing protectively in front of the teen as the boy suddenly crumpled to the ground. Unable to feel his legs as he buried his face in his hands. Trembling absolutely terrified.
Natasha who’d been on the couch moved to help, only for the elevator to open and Tony to step out. They all saw how the man’s confident demeanor instantly jumped into a ruthless and pissed demon.
“What did you do?” He barked, his priceless shoes quickly bringing him to the boy’s side. Where he got to his knees, creasing his suit before the boy had thrown himself into his arms. Sobs still bubbling up, leading Tony to pull the boy into the curve of his body as Peter clung to him as if the world was ending.
“Please don’t let it near me, get it away, please,” the pleas were heartbreaking and the room was cold as Tony looked up from beneath his sunglasses. Arms tight around the small body, as sobs continued to shake the pair.
The offending spider in Bucky’s metal arm was quickly deposited back into its case, and the two at Steve’s pointed glare moved to take it away and remove themselves from the youngest Avenger and especially Tony’s presence. Tony shook the others away, fingers gently brushing through the teen’s hair in an attempt to help soothe his frazzled nerves.
“It’s okay Bambi, it’s gone now,” The man assured, utter hatred burning his veins. He’d have a little talk with Steve’s little soldier entourage later though. A panicking Peter was far more important.
The boy continued to shake and cry, even through Tony’s assurances and gentle sweeping motions. “It’s gone Pete, please stop crying,” The man’s collar had grown wet, and his legs ached on the hard floor. He really couldn’t move them though, not when Peter still needed him here.
“You don’t have to cry,” Tony murmured into the smaller males hair, “It’s just you and me kiddo,” The inventor felt the boy’s harsh and shuddering inhale and the shaking of his head.
“No, no. Spiders bad, what if-what-“ the hyperventilating was quick to make itself reappear as Tony shifted to hold the boy tighter to his chest and hide him from the world.
“No Pete, it’s just you and me,” Rocking them back and forth, soft assurances peppering the hair on the spiders head.
“Why don’t we go to your room buddy?” Tony wished he’d prepared his ears for the frightened scream against his collarbone.
“No, no, no. What if there’s more in there?” The boy whined. Sighing, Tony nodded against the boy’s shoulder before picking them up from the floor. A groan escaping as his knees and back cracked at the action.
“You can sleep in my room Pete, yours will be clean by the time you wake up kiddo,” The man assured, feeling as Peter’s legs wrapped around his waist. Friday called in the exterminators and a maid, even ordering the boy some new sheets and pillowcases.
It was good they did too because the thing had shed a layer on the floor, and the AI couldn’t even configure a proper response on how the young charge would react. Pepper didn’t say a word when she came to bed and saw on the other side of her husband, the small spider was pressed into his arms protectively.
She could see the distress still radiating off the child, even in sleep his face was scrunched. Breaths stuttering against her husband's throat, body lax and heavy against the Avengers larger build as if that’d keep him safe.
Sliding under the covers, she tucked herself in and realized that was likely the reason for the shipment of sheets. Yawning one last time, the woman fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
—-
The Avengers could see Tony was on a warpath the second he’d emerged from his room that morning, a dark tux hugging his features and a tinted pair of aviators adoring his face. A tired and unkempt Peter followed.
Still, in his clothes from the day before, body slumped in fear and shifted on his feet. But the boy looked a little better with Tony around, more at bay, although they could still see him worriedly scanning the area around him. As if more crawlies dared to appear.
Steve looked to Sam and Bucky who were sitting on the couch, prompting them to stand and face their punishment. Yet stood firm and tall himself, ready to play mediator. But the man walked right past them, arm falling to Peter’s lower back to usher him forward as they headed off towards the bedrooms.
Wanda, deciding to snoop followed, watching as Tony opened the door to try to assure everything was okay. The inventor brought Peter in front of him to help get him inside before Peter backed right back into his chest before trying to turn and get away.
“Hey, it’s clean Peter I promise,” Tony hummed as the boy hugged to his chest, “Everything’s clean but if you want new furniture we can do that too,” he even offered.
“We can trade rooms,” Wanda spoke up, realizing it’d situate her closer to Vision and Peter wouldn’t have to be also bothered by the androids tendency to faze through the walls. The boy looked up at that, as did Tony. But the inventor could already see a plethora of things cross behind the boy’s eyes before he shook his head before he huddled back against his mentor's chest.
With his head down Peter let go of the Avenger and tentatively stepped in the room, he really couldn’t make Wanda move all her things and then have another room cleaned all because he’d been scared of a spider.
The desk is what had him scramble a bit back to the inventor, who in his head cataloging something new for him. He’d seen the video while Peter slept of what had happened, knew the arachnid's legs had danced among the surface of the wood and Peter probably wasn’t too siked about that.
“It’s okay Bambi I’ll have a new desk here in an hour,” Peter smiled at that, and Tony knew to take it as a ‘thank you’ while Peter turned around and placed a hand on the bed. Pressing down and watching as the sheet lined his fingers, and slowly rose back when he moved his hand away.
“Good?”
“Mhm,” The boy agreed, a small smile already on his face, Tony returned it. Sparing a glance as Wanda passed by the doorway before she disappeared down the hall.
“I’m going to talk with Barn-“
“You don’t have to,” Peter hurriedly let out, the same nagging fear from before instantly consuming him.
The smile the inventor showed at the concern was weak, his chest did tighten though at the notion. He’d never known he’d come to care for the boy as much as he did now, he also hadn’t known Peter could possibly ever care for him as if he were something more than a hero. But the boy did and he didn’t understand it, he just knew he had to be careful with it.
It was a big responsibility, one he couldn’t take lightly in case he’d lose it. He didn’t know if he’d survive without it. So yes, he’d be beyond willing to put himself in front of someone who intentionally or unintentionally had caused him such grief if it meant Peter didn’t have too.
He’d sacrificed his comfort for the boy more times than Peter would ever know, sitting in the back seat, accepting things that were thrust into his hands, letting someone else in his lab.
And with Peter sacrificing his comfort in trying to keep him from confronting Barnes and Sam, he had to talk with them now. As hypocritical as it may be, he didn’t want Peter to put him before himself. He was still young, and Tony couldn’t put it past Peter to hide an injury or something worse all because he’d rather not face him.
“I’m going to Pete, you stay in here or go make yourself some breakfast, okay?”
“I can’t come with you?” The boy asked nervously, but the harsh emotion with it told the inventor Peter wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Tony sighed, “Get changed Bud,” Tony exited, twirling his thumbs and leaning against the hallway's wall until Peter emerged. Peter followed silently as his mentor took down the hall, watching as while they entered the conversations between the three soldiers immediately stopped. Complying to Tony’s arm guiding him behind him, the man spoke.
“Do you want to tell me why you thought it’d be funny to try traumatizing my kid?”
“Traumatizing is a strong word,” Sam retorted, while the ex-assassin stayed quiet.
“Well, you saw how he reacted! You guys can’t keep fucking with him just because you’re insecure about how he kicked your ass the first time,” Tony bit.
“Well, you did bring a kid to a fight. Which is insane,” Bucky spoke up, remembering the horror that filled his chest when the kid spoke and caught his arm.
Before Tony could even retort both Peter and Steve had moved in defense, Steve much too close to Tony as if to take a blow. Maybe even give one, while Peter slid around his front and held to his mentor's chest. The teen could feel the heat coming off Steve against his back but he didn’t move.
Wouldn’t dare leave Tony in any harm, even if there wasn’t any.
“Keep your soldiers away from my kid,” Tony finally spoke, finality in his tone as he slid his arm around the young arachnids waist as to put a barrier between him and Steve.
Although his heart was beating childishly scared because Peter had gotten in front of him, and he’d had nightmares of Bucky hurting the kid. But Tony knew soon enough he’d be having dreams where he would be helplessly watching as Peter took his place in the fight between the two super soldiers in Siberia.
Steve’s jaw was tight but he nodded, glancing down at the child between them before backing away.
“You two still haven’t apologized,” Tony couldn’t help but push now that Steve had stepped away from Peter and him.
“I’m sorry Peter,” Bucky was at least sincere where Sam refused to say anything at all.
“I don’t want to see you in the compound again until you apologize,” Tony was quick to decide and have a suit escort the man as he shouted.
“Is this really fucking necessary?”
“Tony,” Steve sighed but knew even then not to press, because Peter truly did deserve an apology. The boy gave his mentor a squeeze of thanks, blush tinging his cheeks.
Tony returned the hug, making sure to seem impassive as they pulled apart and Peter awkwardly went off to get some breakfast. Looking a little hopeful that Tony would join him, which the billionaire did.
One thought racing through his mind: What made Peter feel the need to protect him? When all he’s ever known was people trying to hurt him.