As always, please let me know what you think, and if you have absolutely any suggestions or constructive critiques. I don't care how nitpicky it is... hit me with whatever you've got.
tw: self-harm, anxiety, panic attack
summary: before peter can be discharged, he has to talk to a therapist about the cuts on his arm.
word count: 4661
After eating the food Tony brought him and being checked on by a nurse, Peter slept well despite being woken by more nurses several times. May did too, after her nephew had returned to sleep, and Tony managed to doze lightly where he sat. He was grateful for the temporary energy it gave him without pulling him into REM sleep... he could only imagine what nightmares he had waiting for him there.
In the morning, the constant in and out of nurses and doctors only grew more intense, magnified by the fact that they were trying to get him home that day. May was determined not to go in for work, but what little compassion her boss possessed was gone the moment he found out her nephew was going to be alright, and she was caught in phone call after phone call fighting with him and those above him about getting paid for the day and even keeping her job, as well as with her coworkers with questions as they tried to fill in for her.
Peter had talked about the boss a little while the two of them worked together in the lab, so Tony knew it was an ongoing fight that May had to engage in with the scumbag. Now, listening to the endless phone conversations, he made a mental note to have a branch of one of his companies that May didn't know he owned offer her a job.
Peter told May repeatedly that he'd be fine and she could just go in, but she refused. Tony would have been there if she did have to leave, but he didn't blame her for the decision. He certainly didn't want to be caught anywhere but by Peter's side until he was settled at home.
That was where he stayed through the main stream of doctors and nurses, standing next to his intern's bed and ignoring every weird stare that was cast his way. May was there as well whenever she wasn't on the phone, but to her complete frustration, that never lasted for long.
Tony could see the stress building on Peter's face as the phone calls went on. Obviously, he was afraid his aunt was going to lose her job. And obviously, he was blaming himself for that and everything else.
Finally, Peter was disconnected from everything monitoring him or pumping fluids into him and allowed to change into his normal clothes, which he had a fresh set of thanks once again to Happy. When he'd done so, his nurse made the announcement Tony had been both expecting and dreading all morning.
"Alright, Peter, we'll get you checked out soon. All you have to do is come with me to talk to one more doctor, and then you can go." She looked at Tony, then glanced across the hall, into the waiting room May was in, on the phone again. "I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but you can only come as far as the nearest waiting room for this one."
Tony nodded understanding, though the thought of the Peter facing the coming conversation alone was killing him. "Alright, then I'll come that far."
She bobbed her head in return, then waved them after her, down the hallway. Fear was written all over Peter's face, and his entire body was rigid. Obviously, he knew what was coming too.
Tony didn't say anything, but placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as they followed the nurse through a series of halls and turns. Peter took a deep, shaky breath and looked at him with pleading eyes, like he thought his mentor could somehow get him out of this. The pain and fear Tony saw written there hurt something deep inside of him, but he knew there was nothing he could do, so instead he just squeezed the kid's shoulder, continuing to offer his wordless comfort and support.
