As Long As The Sun Burns

Chapter Two

"They're what?" Rhodey cried, looking at Tony with shock.

"I know, I know," Tony groaned. "I don't want this anymore than you do. Captain Eye Patch didn't give me much a choice. But he did agree to make them stay away from Peter."

Rhodey nodded. "That's good."

"What's good?" Peter asked. Tony jumped before whirling around.

"Peter! God, you scared me kiddo. We gotta get you a bell or something." Tony said, clutching his arc reactor and breathing heavily. "I've got a heart condition, and jump scares are definitely not helping it."

"Neither is drinking six cups of coffee a day." Peter countered, climbing onto the sofa and laying down, letting his feet dangle over the side. Tony chuckled and sat down on the sofa, lifting Peter's head to rest on his lap.

"Touche." he said.

"Dad are you going to tell me what's going on?" Peter asked. Something was definitely up with his father lately, Peter could tell. He was acting more stressed out than usual. It was making him anxious.

"Not yet bambi," Tony said, carding his hands through his hair. Peter hummed and relaxed against his father. "I promise, your Uncle Rhodey and I are dealing with it."

"Okay," Peter said. "Just don't forget to take care of yourself. I kind of need you around. Don't bail on me."

"Never baby."

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"Welcome to the tower," Tony said blandly, gesturing to the Avengers suite broadly with his hands. The Avengers thanked him in monotone. "Now, a few rules. As you know, you are not, under any circumstances, to go near Peter. Unless he approaches you first: stay away. The other rule, the penthouse is off limits. Unless the world is literally on fire, don't go in there. Just have FRIDAY contact me if you need me. Good?"

They nodded mutely. Steve stepped forward and Tony braced himself. "Er, Tony? Can I...I want to see him...Peter, I mean...he is my--"

"He's not your anything." Tony hissed. Steve flinched back, his eyes wide at the venom in his voice. "You left him. You never even visited him. Not even a letter. You have no right to see him."

"Tony, please," Steve begged. "I never meant to...look, I just want to see him. Please? Let him decide if I can see him or not. It's only fair. To him."

"He doesn't know anything about you," Tony responded. Steve gasped softly, and his eyes shone with hurt. "All he knows is that you used to be his Papa. That's it."

"Did he never...did he never ask?"

"Nothing." Tony said. "If he wants to speak with you he will. Leave it at that."

Steve nodded, staring at the ground with resignation. "Okay."

"Now, if that's all. I'm going back upstairs. It's family dinner night."

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Peter walked back to the tower, kicking the pebbles along the sidewalk as he did. Something was up with his dad. Peter could tell Dad was more stressed out than usual, but he didn't know what was causing it. Every time he brought it up, Dad shut it down.

He winced as a car jerked by him, causing him to flinch away and aggravate the injuries he got from Flash.

He knew it looked really bad, so he planned to stop by the Avengers Suite to grab some bruise cream and things that help make them disappear faster left by his Uncle Bruce. And it was an added bonus that his dad never went down there anymore. He could hide out in peace.