Spider-Son

Chapter 6: Arguments and Arrangements

"No," Tony said, "you're going to be staying with us."

Steve glared at me, "Tony? Can I speak to outside for a minute please?" He grabbed Tony's arm and pulled him out of the room before Tony could answer.

"What the hell Tony? He can't stay here!" He shouted at me.

"Please Steve, he doesn't have anywhere else to go." Tony tried to reason.

Steve scoffed, " of course there is! SHIELD or another orphanage would take him."

"I'm not sending him to SHIELD Steve." Tony stated, "and he's not going back into care, not if he's been with Hydra."

"For gods sakes Tony , we can't just take in a kid because you don't want him to go to SHIELD!" Steve exclaimed, "he's not our responsibility!"

Tony rolled his eyes, "he became our responsibility when we brought him here!"

Tony heard the door behind him open and Peter looked up at the arguing couple, "Mr Rogers sir?"

"Yeah kid?" Steve asked softly, all previous anger gone.

"You don't have to look after me sir, I'd be fine going back into care. I don't want to be a burden." Peter mumbled as he stared down at the floor.

"Kid, you're not a burden," Tony told him, "why would you even think that?"

Peter shrugged, "it's what most people call me I guess."

Tony knelt down in front of him, "look kid, you're not a burden okay? You're just a kid that bad things have happened to, but they're not going to happen again."

"How do you know that?" The teenager asked him, still staring at the ground.

Tony sighed and glanced at Steve before answering, "like I said earlier, you're going to be staying here for a while if that's okay with you?"

Peter frowned, "but Mr Rogers said he didn't want me to stay?"

"I was just a bit annoyed with Tony, don't worry about that okay kid?" Steve brushed him off.

"Okay..." Peter said hesitantly.

"You sure about this Steve?" Tony asked him.

Steve put his arm around Tony, "well can't go back on it now can I?"

"Suppose not," Tony grinned, welcome to the family Pete."

"Family?" The teenager questioned, he finally looked up from the floor.

"Yeah, you'll fit right in with the avengers! Hey Steve maybe he can go on missions?" Tony exclaimed excitedly.

"No! Absolutely not! He doesn't even have powers!" Steve pointed out. "Do you..?"

Peter shrugged.

Tony smiled and placed his hand on Peters shoulder, only to quickly move it away when Peter flinched violently.

"Peter," Tony told him, Steve had never heard him sound so gentle, "no one here would ever hurt you okay? We'd never let anyone hurt you."

Peter looked up and forced a smile, "thanks Mr Stark, and you Mr Rogers."

"Oh god, don't call me that it makes me feel old, it's Tony and Steve." Tony laughed. Or dads he thought to himself.

"Okay, Mr Star-Tony." Peter corrected himself.

Steve chuckled, "there you go Peter, come on then, let's show you go your room."