broken // Irondad fanfic

Chapter 4

(A/N: trigger warning! Includes a panic attack.)

"Okay! Great! I'll get everything handled." Tony exclaimed, happily. Peter smiled. "Call me if you need anything. Anything at all." Tony said before he and Pepper left his room.

"Poor kid." Pepper said once the door was closed. They began walking to the table. "He must be in so much pain." Tony nodded in agreement. She continued.

"Like you know how much it hurts to lose parents..."

The images of his dead parents flashed through Tony's mind. He grimaced. Bucky punching his father pierced his thoughts. His breath quickened. Tony abruptly stopped  walking and leaned against the wall.

"Tony!" Pepper exclaimed, grabbing his hands. "I'm sorry, I forgot that I'm not supposed to mention it, I'm sorry!" Tony tried to get some words out but it hurt his lungs to even breathe (which made the rapid breathing very painful). He slid his back down the wall and put his head in his hands.

"Are you okay?" She knew it was a stupid question since Tony was in the middle of a panic attack right infront of her. Pepper kneeled down beside him trying to comfort him but he couldn't hear a word she was saying- his ears were ringing. Pepper wrapped him in a hug and after a few minutes, Tony calmed down.

Pepper helped him to his feet. "I'm sorry." She said again.

"It's okay." He replied softly.

"Are you okay?" She hugged him tightly and he kissed her cheek.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

He wasn't.

• • •

Peter stayed in his room for the rest of the day. He was in bed on his phone for most of it. Ned and M.J had both called multiple times checking in on Peter. The principle of Midtown High had called Tony, letting him know that Peter was excused from school for the rest of the week.

• • •

"Mr. Stark?" Peter knocked on Tony's door.

"What's up kid?" Tony motioned Peter to come inside his room. Peter sat on his bed.

"I have a few questions...uhm... regarding May." Peter felt his eyes sting with tears as Tony joined him on the bed.

"Go ahead." He replied.

"Did they find the guy who killed her?" Peter asked, his heart thumping. He didn't want a repeat of what happened to Uncle Ben's killer but he did want revenge of some sort.

Tony didn't know what to tell him. He knew what had happened after Uncle Ben was murdered. He knew that Peter would do anything he possibly could to get a hold of the man that murdered May. He would end up accindently killing the man or the man could end up killing Peter.

He had to protect the kid...by lying. "They got him. He's behind bars now."

Peter felt relieved and disapointed at the same time. He wanted the man to pay for killing her. He wanted it so bad...but he was also relieved. Relieved that he wasn't going to hurt anyone else.

"I wanted him to pay." Peter admitted quietly.

"He's paying in prison." Tony replied, now glad that he didn't tell Pete the truth.

"I wanted to make him pay. With my own hands." Peter was getting angry now but he made sure Tony couldn't tell.

"You want to kill him?" Tony asked, his eyebrows knitted.

"No!" Peter exclaimed, slightly shocked by the question. "No. I want to hurt him. I want him to feel pain."

"Peter, stop." Tony said sternly. "That won't do anybody any good. How do you think Aunt May would react to this?"

"Aunt May is dead!" Peter screamed. He instantly regretted it. Tony stared at Peter, suprised. "A-aunt May is dead." Peter whispered, his voice cracking into a sob. "Kid..." Tony started. "I'm sorry. I have to go." Peter stood up and ran out the door.