Spider-Son One Shots

Fruit Baskets

so, these is sort of in Peter's POV, so anything he doesn't know the name of, I'm not going to name them instead call them what Peter is calling them.

*****

The little Peter Parker, who was only five years old yet looked so much smaller, was really hungry. He usually could last three days without food, but he got bit by a spider the other day that made him really hungry.

Peter had cuts, scars, blood, water, and mud dripping off of him. His clothes couldn't protect him from anything, let alone the cold. He was a small child that was trying to figure out what he had done wrong to get the universe to hate him. Peter thought he was a good person, maybe he could have been kinder, but what could he do? He was a child whose only source of food was dumpsters, and his only source of water was rain.

Peter then smelt something. He turned into a window frame, and saw a basket of weird colored treats. Peter had never seen something so colorful and beautiful. He didn't know what it was, but he really wanted to find out.

Peter pushed into the building, avoiding the workers who didn't see him. Peter saw that the basket was moving, so he followed it into a metal contraption.

On the way up, Peter stared at the basket in fascination. He noticed there was some pretty flowers as well, some Peter didn't even know the name of. But they were all very pretty.

Peter wondered where the buttons were. Didn't these machines have buttons? And why was he the only person in the room? Who did these colored items and flowers go to?

The elevator opened, and Peter helped push the basket and flowers out. Maybe whoever they belonged too could tell him what they were. Maybe the person could spare some food or clothes for Peter.

"Show yourself!" A commanding voice said. Peter stepped out of the rolling cart way to face whoever said it. Peter came face to face with a gray-black gun being held by a red haired woman.

Peter had seen a gun before. He remembered seeing one when his family was shot. They all died that day leaving Peter to travel New York alone, starving and cold. Peter hated guns.

"Nat, it's a little kid, put the gun away," A blonde man said walking up to the red head. There were other people in the room, another blonde, a black haired, an orange skinned man, and a lot of other people. And they were all looking at Peter.

"I just wanted to know what these things are called, ma'am, I'm sorry if I scared you," Peter said in a small voice with a smile as he pointed towards the basket.

The lady looked back at the others, as she put the gun away. She got on her knees so she was around eye level with Peter. "Uh... Those are fruits. That's a fruit basket. This is pineapple, kiwi, blue berries, banana."

"Okay, open up your eyes!" Another voice said. A man with black hair and a goatee was standing beside a woman with strawberry blonde hair. The woman opened her eyes, narrowing down at the flowers and fruit basket. She laughed before kissing Tony on the cheek and walking over.

"Hello," She said kindly but confused when she saw the little boy beside the cart who was talking to the red head. The woman had never seen the boy before, and he looked dirty and bloody.

"This little guy must have stowed away from his parents to see what a fruit basket is," The red head shrugged, trying to come up with the best explanation.

"No, ma'am. My parents died. They were shot. Like my Aunt and Uncle. I was wondering New York when I saw whatever this is," Peter said his smile fading a little.

"Oh my. How long have you been alone?" Pepper said, her heart hurting. This kid looked three or four, how long was he all by himself?

"Well, I'm five. And it happened when I was three. So five minus three is... two?" Peter said using his fingers to count and subtract. He pushed some of his brown curls out of the way as he did so.

"Well, here then," Pepper said taking one of the sticks from the basket and handing it to Peter. The boy lit up at the sight and grabbed it, saying a huge thank you. Peter started eating the fruits, humming in delight with each new one he tried.

"Hey, Tony, let's talk," The red head said before pushing the black haired man out of the room. Peter waved goodbye, not quite sure what they were talking about or who they were, he was busy talking to the kind lady in front of him.

****

"We can't just send him back out on the streets," Natasha Romanoff said, pushing her red hair out of her face. She knew it was dark and cold outside, and she didn't want to send an innocent kid out there.

"No, we can't. But do you think the safest option is here? We're superheroes, constantly being targets. That kid would probably have a bad life here, too," Tony Stark pointed out.

"We can protect him. And even if you say no, I'll forge your signature on the adoption papers," Natasha said raising an eyebrow at Tony as if to say, 'you want test that theory?'.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. When did adoption get thrown in here? And why do I have to do it?" Tony said waving his hands as if to say no. Tony was pretty sure he would be a terrible father, considering he didn't have the best example.

"Because your the only one that has a counterpart to sign the papers with. I mean look over there and tell me Pepper doesn't already love him," Natasha said. And she was right, per usual. Pepper was doing games with the boy who was giggling.

****

The boy's name turned Peter Parker. And he was a wonderful child. He was curious, and kind, even if he was fragile. Tony discovered Peter's rather strange genetics, seeing as it had parts that became a spider. But even if the kid was a mutant of sorts, Tony learned to love him in less than a week.