Song: RUDE - eternal youth.
The steady sound of the machine running next to him is the first thing Peter is able to fully register. The next thing is the bright room.
You always see this in movies, they wake up in a hospital and there are always bright, white, walls and ceilings and floors. Their eyes flutter open and then they need a moment to take in all the light? The movies were correct on that. He has to squint them before he can open them fully.
The next thing he registers is the bed dipped beside him. Then he feels someone else holding his hand, soothingly rubbing it with their thumb. He listens to the heartbeat, Steady, a little fast. He smiles a little, it's familiar, of course it is. It's also pretty amazing that it takes him back to his earliest memory, his gift makes it almost impossible to forget anything. So the heartbeat belonging to his mother is branded into his memory.
'Mom?' He speaks up and your face comes into view.
'I'm here kiddo...' you smile back at him.
The bullet missed your vital organs by an inch. It was easy to remove and it left no permanent damage, other than scar that will be littering your body. You're still sensitive, there's a pretty large gap still, but with your metabolism it should be healed fully within the next few weeks.
Peter on the other hand was in worse shape, he's been loopy for a couple days, falling in and out of consciousness. You have no idea what hydra did to make him like this, but you bet it's not anything good.
Your hand comes up to his face and brushes away a few strands of hair. You start seeing the resemblance between him and Richard, but you're lucky he'a got a different personality than his father.
You keep brushing over his head and hair. It's something you used to enjoy as a kid. Made you sleepy though. Peters eyelids grow heavy again. He's fighting sleep like a small child.
'Rest... Peter... Its okay...'
'Will you stay with me? Maybe we can talk later?' He yawns. 'Of course kiddo... I just got you back, you can't get rid of me that easily..' you wink, before you know it, he's asleep again.
This time he seems more comfortable. He's less tense, it's like a weight lifted off of him to hear you say you won't go anywhere.
'You're so grown now..' you whisper, a lump forms in your throat.
Your hand comes up to wipe your eyes and nose. You're trying not to wake him. He feels bad enough already, he doesn't need to see you cry.
You need to stay strong, for him, just like when you had to give him to better parents. You need to stay strong.
'Hey...' you startle before turning your head towards the door. There's a woman there. 'Uhm.. I didn't know he would have company... sorry I didn't mean to startle you...I am Peters Aunt... May..'
'It's okay...' you reply smoothly wiping both nose and cheeks again. 'I'm Y/n...' you stick your hand out for her to shake.
'You're his mom.. right?' She carefully asks. 'Yeah I'm.. i'm trying to be...' your honest reply makes her smile. 'I'd say you're doing a good job then...'
You smile at her. You get up while still holding onto Peters hand. You move to the chair next to the bed and sit down. May sits down in the spot you freed up for her.
'How's he doing?' She asks.
'Better, he's sleeping a lot but it's understandable with what Richard- Hydra...' you correct yourself before continuing. 'What Hydra did to him...'
'I always wanted to meet you but not under these circumstances...' she lets out an airy chuckle and you do the same. 'Yeah well, it seems to always work out this way...'
'It's nice to meet you anyway... gosh I have so many questions... but I won't bombard you with them now...'
'You can if you want... some questions i'd rather not answer but I'll do my best...' you suggest.
'Okay... then my first question... why us?' She asks. 'Why would you choose us?'
'I don't have family.. back then I didn't... the avengers are like family now... but back then, I was young and scared... his father, I found out you were his family... his real family... so I found information on you... I did some research.. found out where you lived and I escaped Hydras hold...'
'That must've been awful, leaving him like that...'
'It was... but I don't- I don't regret it. I mean.. he has had a better life than I could've provided for him.. he has his freedom, he has friends.. he got to go to school.. those are things I never had.. you gave him that... and I will be eternally grateful for that...'
'It's our pleasure... really... he's a good kid... heart of gold, he's kind.. smart...'
'Yeah I got to see that...' you smile as you spare him a glance. Your eyes move to your hand in his. You give it a soft squeeze.
'Why didn't you come for him sooner?' She asks and you tense up. You could've predicted such a question, but still it feels like you weren't ready to be asked that yet.
'I...' your mind fogs up with the memories. 'Hydra they- Hydra used to give me medicine... to be able to cope with the enhancement. Lights weren't so bright, sounds weren't so loud anymore when I took them... touch was something I could handle again... after I escaped, I found ways to numb them again... got addicted..'
'Ah... it's fine if you don't want to go on about it..' She stops you, she can see the conflict and pain in your features when you speak about this.
'I didn't want him to see his mother as a junky... as a weak shell of the person I used to be... after Tony found me... I tried to see him again, but I only got a glimpse, of him and his friends and I remember thinking... I will ruin his life if I step in... I didn't want to pull him away from the life he has...'
'I understand now...' May nods.
After that the conversation continues, it's mostly her asking questions at first, but then the stories of Peter come in to play. You listen to them with a huge smile on your face.
Peter is a funny little guy. The more you take from those stories, the more you see his father come through in them.
Despite what everyone may think about Richard, you like to remember his old self, the one that took care of you, even it was just to use you. He cared more about you than anybody else did. He joked with you, you shared a few good laughs. He wasn't all bad, there were some good moments.. but they usually get overshadowed by the bad.
'I wish it didn't have to be this way... that I could've raised him on my own, that I could've experienced all those important things..'
'He knows... we talked after he found out that you were actually his mom... he was angry for the most part... but he was also happy to know that his mom is a superhero like him... he rambled about maybe you teaching him some moves... then he returned to being angry...'
'Yeah... I tried to talk to him... we ended up arguing.. that is my biggest regret...'
'That he wouldn't listen to you? Y/n, Peter is a good kid but he can be stubborn... you'll get the chance, and after that talk... I'm sure he will be jumping up and down for you to teach him a few tricks...'
'I'd be happy to learn him everything I know... That would be my most important moment with him... first moment of many I hope...'
Peters lips form a small smile, undetected by his mother and aunt. He will annoy her to the brink about her teaching him everything. Ever since he saw her on TV and he found out he was the same, he'd wanted her to teach him.
But what makes it even better now, is that you're his mom. This superhero who turned out to be his cool mom. Who rescued him multiple times. Who did everything to protect him. If anything you're the best mom in the world, you took a bullet for him!
'I love you so much.. and I hope I can see you again... just know that mommy will always protect you okay? Even if you can't see me I will always be there'
You'd kept that promise... now it's time he made you one and keeps it.
•••
'Okay so... this guy and this woman, they're brother and sister right?'
Peter is making you watch Star Wars or something like that. You never heard of it before but he seems to love it. And since he was a good student in training, you'll give him this.
'Yeah, they're brother and sister...'
'And they just kissed to make that other guy Hans? No Han? Han- they kissed to make him jealous...' You comment confused and he nods.
'Yeah but they don't know that they're brother and sister yet.. they find out later though..' he stuffs his mouth with popcorn.
'That's... that's some Alabama shit...' Tony comments and you chuckle. 'Damn right..'
His arm around you tightens and you hum. Peter glances at you two and smiles. 'So Uhm... should I start calling you dad? Now that you're engaged to Y/n?'
Tony rolls his eyes. 'How many times are you going to make that joke, kid...'
'Many.. many times...' he chuckles and you bark out a laugh.
You and Peter share a look. You're glad you found your son again, and that you're able to laugh with him, to have a life with him in it.
And Peter is happy that he can spend time with his actual mother. That he can learn from her and teach her his hobby's and interests.
You're both still learning about each other, but it's the best kind of learning you've had your whole life.
You have your son back now. You're about to get married to the man you love. It's the family you always wanted.
And now you have it. Your greatest wish came true.
'Love you mom...' Peter mutters.
'Love you too kid...' you smile back.