"So." I crossed my arms, my wings bent at all odd angles to fit in the car.
"You are in so much trouble," Stark grumbled, speeding down the road.
"Okay."
"Why'd you do it?" He glanced back at me.
"Do what."
"Run away. Why did you run away?"
I shrugged. "Dunno."
Stark stayed silent.
"I just wanted to get out of the tower for a bit."
"And you literally broke out of your room, and went to Peter's school," Stark concluded. "Then, you stayed at his house for a few nights. And you went over to Michelle's...when?"
"I spent last night there."
"Oh, so you left before I got to Parker's apartment."
"Just after, actually. We snuck out the fire escape."
"Of course." Stark turned a corner sharply. "And let me guess, you flew to her house?"
I smiled at him in the mirror.
"Wonderful."
I shifted my wing, flipping it to curl around me in the small area. "I don't fit in this car."
"You are in a ton of trouble." Stark had ignored my last statement.
I rolled my eyes.
"I don't know what I'm gonna do about you." He continued. "Force you to stay in a cell until you stop running away?"
"Don't do that," I said.
"Fine. I could leave you in the streets." He threatened. "Or I could put a camera in your room, make sure someone's watching the feed every second of the rest of your life. You'll never be out of my sight again."
"That's illegal."
"Nope."
"What-"
"You did this to yourself." He said. "I don't want to have to throw you in a cell for the rest of your life. I'd rather not have to watch you your whole life. And I don't want to throw you on the streets. They're all horrible things to do to a kid."
"Yep."
"You know, you were such a sweet little girl when I brought you in." Stark changed the subject. "And now, you've run away twice in a week, and you talk, and you're being a little brat. What happened."
I stared at his face in the mirror, and he turned around to look me in the eye when we were at the stoplight.
"Well?"
I clenched my fists. "I was not a little girl. I was a malnourished, abused kid. I was held in that laboratory for years, and no one did anything about it. On my fifteenth birthday, I thought you were a god. I thought you were going to save me from the life I'd hated." I paused as a car horn honked.
"And you didn't even see me! You gave me one tour and that was it! The rest of the avengers cooked me meals. Peter and Harley helped me learn about the world. Hell, they even taught me some swears! All while you were sitting alone, up in your lab, just like the scientists who worked on me."
"I am nothing like them!" He shouted, slamming his hands on the steering wheel. "I was working for you! Where do you think all that money came from? To replace the elevator? To buy you clothes, and a phone, and a computer?!"
"Those are little things!" I replied. "I would've been happy if you just played a game of cards with me or something! You're a horrible parent!" My vision was getting fuzzy. Water welled in my eyes, and I quickly wiped the tears away.
"I'm trying my best!"
"No! You're not!" I screamed at him. "You don't try at all! You barely socialize with your kids! You probably couldn't even name Harley's favorite color."
"Red."
"It's blue," I replied annoyed. "Maybe you'd find out mine if you pared attention. Or asked me, but you never have, and you never will."
"Fine." He growled. "What's your favorite color?"
"I haven't got one."
"Then why'd you make me ask?!"
"So you could see an example! You don't know anything more than the basics about anyone in the tower!"
"Of course I do." He responded, flipping off a driver next to us. "I know everything there is to know about everyone in the tower."
"Really?"
"Really."
"If you knew everything about everyone in the tower, you'd know your own son is gay."
I immediately clapped a hand over my mouth. "Shit."
I didn't know why that had first come to mind. I didn't mean to say it. It just came out.
"Harley?"
"No. No, he's not. I'm sorry." I panicked, clenching my fists hard enough to leave dents in my palms. "He's not."
"We're talking about this when we get home," Stark grumbled, flooring the gas and sending me flying back into my seat.
I groaned and put my hands on my face. I immediately felt horrible. I'd outed Harley. Probably Peter too.
I stayed quiet the rest of the ride until Stark pulled into the underground garage.
"Make a break for it and you'll be put on full surveillance," Stark warned, stepping out of the car.
I rolled my eyes and forced myself out of the car, leaving a pile of feathers on the interior.
Stark pressed the elevator button and brought us up to Peter and Harley's lab. He waltzed in, scaring Harley enough that he dropped the current project he was working on.
"What the shit!" He exclaimed, quickly grabbing the chunk of metal off the ground.
"Harley we need to talk," Stark said, nodding to me.
"What-" His eyes followed Starks to me, who was just visible behind the door. "Oh, you found her."
But at what cost. I thought, internally beating myself as we walked back to the elevator.
"So, Max, how were your days as a runaway?" Harley joked.
I stared at my feet. A deep pit in my stomach had grown throughout the car ride, and it was just getting worse.
"Eh?" He elbowed my shoulder.
A tear slipped down my cheek, and he knelt down to look me in the eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned. "What happened?"
"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice cracking.
"Sorry about what?" Harley asked. "Tony, what happened?"
"Does Peter know?" Stark asked.
"Know about what?" Harley glanced at me, his face turning pale.
"It's you, isn't it?" Stark asked, walking out of the elevator and down the long hall to Peter's room.
"What's going on?" Harley asked, stopping Stark before he could knock on Peter's door. "Max, can you tell me what's going on?"
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry about what? What happened?! Why do you need Peter?" He grabbed Stark's hand, which was on the doorknob. "Stop."
"What do you all need?" Peter asked, swinging his door open. His eyes darted between the three figures. "Hey, Harley. Max, are you okay?"
"She's fine," Stark said. "Kid, we need to talk."
I threw up in my mouth.
"What?" Peter asked, opening his door and letting everyone in. "About Max?"
"No-"
"Look, I'm sorry I lied to you and didn't tell you she was at my apartment and I didn't tell you where she was but she was actually at MJ's and I'm really sorry but she promised to never do it again and we did not have sex if that's what you're wondering." He stammered.
"Why would I think you two are hooking up?" Stark asked.
"Because you care when I'm alone with her."
"You and Harley are dating, aren't you?" Stark asked.
Authors note:
Alright, guess I'll leave it there for tonight. The story's kinda been all over. I'm not good at writing emotion, so sorry about that. and I'm exhausted, so sorry for typos.
alright bye