Iron Boy [Peter Parker x Male Reader]

Chapter Seventy

I took a deep breath and smoothed my suit jacket out, then tossed a glance to Charlie, who was standing next to me.
He gave me an encouraging smile and gestured for me to go out.
I nodded and opened the glass doors, walking over to the podium. Camera clicks and flashes went off left and right in front of me. My eyes wandered over all the reporters and broadcasters located in the press room.
I gave a smile for a moment and let them take their pictures, then gestured for them to be seated, so we could begin.
God, I really don't wanna do this.
"Let's begin," I said. "We'll begin with questions."
Hands went up left and right and several of them began to say 'Mr. Stark' over and over again, attempting to get my attention. I called on one of the reporters.
"Mr. Stark, it's been almost a month since the passing of your father and I'm sure the entire world has questions. About what happened at the Avengers compound, about your father, about you, about what's next...how do you as the 'new face' of your family intend to handle this situation?" she asked.
"I, uh, I'm taking it one step at a time. I understand that there are many questions worldwide about what happened . Myself and many others are beginning to attempt to answer said questions. However, we're trying not to overwhelm the public, as well as not let ourselves be overwhelmed. We'll be taking it one step at a time."
The reporter nodded and began to scribble things down.
"Next," I said, calling on the next person.
"As the previous mentioned, it's been almost a month. Why are the remaining Avengers only beginning to come forward now?" he said.
I bristled slightly at the ignorance of the reporter, but kept my composure.
"My father was recognized as the face of the Avengers for many years, this is well known. Whether the remaining Avengers hold a close bond with my father or not, that loss still leaves a mark. We've all been coping and learning to move on with what we've lost. And we're beginning to pull ourselves together."
The reporter was about to speak again.
"Next question," I said before the reporter could speak again.
I called on the next reporter.
"Last many of us had heard, the Avengers were disbanded before the so-called 'Snap' happened, so why and how did the Avengers come together again even with their conflicting views?" he asked.
"The Avengers are...a complicated bunch. We all hold different views, even to this day. We let that get the better of us, all those years ago, but I like to believe we've learned from that. The Avengers will always have different views amongst ourselves, but we learned that in order to be there for you, the people, we need to set our differences aside."
I looked down and swallowed before looking back up.
"The Avengers may have been able to join forces again in the end, but that doesn't mean there wasn't conflicting views. Steve Rogers once told an old friend of mine that we don't trade lives. Except, in the end, that's exactly what my father did. He laid his life down for the saving of the rest of the world, of the universe. Many of us may not agree with that, or may not have been able to do it ourselves, but that doesn't change the fact that it happened. In the end the Avengers were forced to trade lives...and I think we're better for it. We've learned from our past."
"Thank you, Mr, Stark," the reporter said. "I'm sorry for your loss."
I nodded with a sad smile, "Thank you. Next question?"
I called on another woman.
"Mr. Stark, as of now we've lost three of the original six Avengers. Plus, Dr. Banner's arm has been permanently damaged. So far, the world doesn't know how to react to this. With the Falcon being knighted as the next Captain America, the world's beginning to wonder: who will be the next Iron Man? Will it be you? Or someone else?"
I closed my eyes in frustration with the question. I had heard it a hundred times before, all over the news, on social media, in the city. It's been directed at both me and Peter and others.
"The fact of the matter is, there won't be another Iron Man. And no matter how hard that may be for all of you to hear, it's the truth. Iron Man is gone. The world has depended on him for years and now it can't any longer because he gave his life for this world. Frankly, it's rude, to assume there has to be another Iron Man. Putting that kind of pressure on anyone's shoulders is rude. Whether it be me, Spider-Man, War Machine...it's ignorant. There will not be another Iron-Man...and that is something we're all going to have to come to terms with. The world will have to figure out a way to move on without him and learn to rely on the heroes to come."
The reporters all glanced at each other nervously and uncomfortable that they made me so angry.
"Thank you," I muttered. "No more questions."
I walked off the stage and out the door, ignoring the reporter's calls behind me.
Charlie handed me my keys, then fell into step next to me as I headed down to the main doors.
"All things considered, I think you handled yourself pretty well," he said.
"I only made it through four questions."
"It's like you said: we have to take it one step at a time."
We walked out onto the street and I stepped into the driver's seat of my Jovi Alpha SUV. Charlie crawled into the passenger seat.
      I turned the car on and pulled off into the streets, headed down the road.
      "Where to?" Charlie asked.
      "We're headed to see Pepper and Morgan. Pepper and I decided to host a dinner. Peter and Happy are coming too."
      He only nodded as I pulled onto the highway.
      "Scheduled to arrive in twenty five minutes,"
Smoak said.

      A half an hour later I pulled the car to a stop at the end of the driveway, next to a black sedan.
      I stepped out of the car and walked up to the porch, climbing the steps and walking over to the door. I looked over to the river to see Peter and Morgan playing a game by the riverside.
      I smiled and walked into the house, making my way to the kitchen.
      "Hey, Pep," I said to her.
      "Y/N, hi," she said, bringing me into a brief hug. "I saw your press conference on tv. You did well, it's not your fault they were rude."
      I nodded in thanks, then turned to the counter where there were many plates and silverware laid out. I picked up the plates and Charlie grabbed the silverware, without my prompt. We began to set the table for her.
      "Thank you guys," she said as she began to take things out of the oven and carry them over to the table.
      "Why don't you go bring them in, Y/N? Tell them dinner's ready. Happy's on the back porch, send him in too, would you?"
      I nodded and walked out the door and over to the corner of the porch, looking down at the river.
      "Morgan! Peter! Dinner's ready!" I called down to them.
      Morgan came running up the steps and gave me a hug around my legs, before disappearing into the house.
      Peter jogged up behind her and grabbed me by the waist with a hand, pulling my lips against his.
      "Mm...hi," he said to me, lovingly.
      "Hi," I replied.
      I wrapped my arms around him, pulling myself into him.
      "I miss you," I said. "We need to start hanging out more. More dates. It has, literally, been years."
      He laughed a little and pressed his lips to the top of my head.
      "Sounds like plan," he said. "Later this week?"
      "Deal," I said.
      Happy, Peter, and I walked into the house and took our seats at the table. I sat at the head and Peter  and Charlie were on either side of me. Happy was next to Peter and Morgan was next to Charlie. Pepper sat across from me on the other end of the table.
      I smiled at all my friends and family and silently thanked my father for everything.
      "I don't wanna make this sound too cheesy," I said. "But I feel as though I should say something."
      Everyone turned their gaze to me expectantly.
      "When my dad made the sacrifice, I knew that he was doing it for this right here. He wanted families around the world to survive. He wanted us to survive. We may not all be related by blood, but I would not hesitate to call you all my family."
      They all smiled sentimentally at me.
      "I want to thank each of you for what you've done for me. I didn't always have a family, but now that I do, I never want to let it go."
      Peter grabbed my hand over the table and held my fingers in his.
      "My father saved us all and paid a great price, but he knew it was worth it. Now that he's gone, there will be many unknowns and that's something we'll have to deal with...together."
      I met the eyes of everyone around me, then lifted my glass.
      "But," I said. "If there's one thing I do know for sure, it's that..."
      Everyone else lifted their glass as well and held them towards the middle of the table.
      "We... are Iron Man."