Untamed

Chapter Nineteen

Peter and I are sitting next to each other on the edge of a building, glumly looking down at the streets below us. Tony sealed my wound with his adaption of the regeneration cradle before we left the ship, so I won't bleed out until we get home and Bruce can take a better look at it. I hear the Iron Man suit land behind Peter and I and look up.

"Previously on Peter and Gracee Screw the Pooch. I tell you all to stay away from this. Instead, you hacked a multimillion-dollar suit so you could sneak around behind my back doing the one thing I told you not to do."

"Is everyone okay?" Peter asks.

"No thanks to you two."

"No thanks to us?" I stand up and walk towards Tony.

Peter follows me, but before I can talk, he gives me a look that tells me to let him do the talking so I won't get in as much trouble. He stands beside me as we both look at Tony defensively.

"Those weapons were out there, and we tried to tell you about it. But you didn't listen. None of this would've happened if you had just listened to us! If you even cared, you'd actually be here."

I cringe as the Iron Man suit opens, revealing Tony inside. He steps down from the suit and walks toward Peter and I as we both back away in surprise.

"I did listen, kid. Who do you think called the FBI, huh? Do you know that I was the only one who believed in you? Everyone else said I was crazy to recruit a fourteen year old kid."

"I'm fifteen."

"No, this is where you zip it, all right? The adult is talking. What if somebody had died tonight? Different story, right? 'Cause that's on you. And if you died, I feel like that's on me. I don't need that on my conscience."

"Yes, sir."

"Yes."

"I- I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it."

I can tell that this situation really has worried my dad, and I know he doesn't need that right now. But I can't sit back and watch Peter take all of the blame.

"Dad, we were just trying to help! If you're going to get anyone in trouble, it should be me. I'm the one who lied and almost got themselves killed! Not Peter. He was trying to stop Vulture and protect everyone because that's all he cares about. Helping other people is why he does this."

"He put those people in danger. And he put you in danger. He put my daughter in danger."

"I'm capable of making my own decisions. I chose to help him. Not just for him, but for myself. I wanted to prove myself to you. That's all I care about."

"No, Mr. Stark, it's my fault. I shouldn't have brought Gracee into this in the first place."

"You're right, you shouldn't have," Tony says.

"I went after those guys because I thought it would make you proud."

"I'm not proud, I'm disappointed."

"I understand. I just wanted to be like you." Tears form in Peter's eyes and his his voice breaks.

"And I wanted you to be better. Okay, it's not working out. I'm gonna need both of the suits back."

I know by taking my suit, he's also taking my power privileges. Even though I just started using my powers to help people, it means to much to me. I can't imagine not being able to do this anymore. I know how much being Spider-Man means to Peter, and now my dad is taking that away from him.