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“Kid, it’s okay.”
Peter was curled up in a ball in the corner. “I don’t want you to touch me! Stay away!” His voice was high pitched and feeble; he was crazed, desperate.
Tony held up his hands. “I promise I won’t.”
That promise was true. He could tell the kid really didn’t want anyone to touch him.
He pointed to the tile about two feet away from Peter. “Can I sit here?”
Peter looked up at him warily. Tony couldn’t blame him. Earlier, when Peter had stumbled in, he’d been fine and acting… normal. But when the nurse asked him to undress so the doctor could check him out, he refused. They had taken off his suit already, which he hadn’t protested. Why the kid was even wearing clothes under his suit, he didn’t know. Tony was annoyed the kid wouldn’t let them check him and had said something he now regretted. Just let them do it, kid. It’s not glamorous, but they have to check.
The nurse explained she had to check for damage- just routine. She had put her hand on Peter’s school clothes and he had lost it. He screamed and screamed and screamed, jumped out of the bed and hid in the corner like a feral animal. The nurses had offered to sedate him, but Tony told them not to. Something was wrong. He’d never seen Peter like this.
“Peter?”
Peter nodded, and Tony sat down. He remembered what the nurse had told them when they’d gone in the hall. She’d said something about trauma. Possible dissociation. Or regression to the time where a trauma occurred, like some sort of flashback type thing. He wasn’t sure; half the words the nurse said flew over his head. Regardless, he had to try and help. Tony knew Peter had had his fair share of hardship, but this… it was like he was a child. Ben hadn’t died until he was 14. His parents died when he was a toddler; he couldn’t remember that… Maybe that was it though?
“Do you know who I am?”
Peter pulled his knees closer to himself. “Yeah.”
“Do you remember how you got here?”
“I fell. It hurt. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Tony gave him a small smile. “I’m glad.” Tony shifted awkwardly. “So you’re Peter?”
Peter’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m me.” All of a sudden, the boy shut his eyes and started to bang his head on the wall, and Tony scooted forward, wanting to stop him but not wanting to touch him and make it worse at the same time.
“I can’t” Bang. “make it” Bang. “stop!” Bang.
Tony decided to risk it and jumped forward, throwing his hand between the wall and the boy’s head. The boy’s eyes flew open and he backed away. “Don’t!”
Tony held his hands up again. “It’s okay. You’re safe, okay?”
He hugged himself. “Okay.”
They sat there quietly for a moment. Tony wasn’t sure what to say, but before he could come up with something the boy spoke. “I’m sorry. Are you mad?”
“I’m not mad.” Peter’s shoulders relaxed. “Is there something happening? What can’t you make stop?
Peter bit his lip. “Feeling small.”
Regression, then. Why, or to what he was back to what, Tony didn’t know. But he knew how to handle kids now- he had lots of practice with Morgan. He just had to act the same way.
Tony put a smile on his face. “That’s okay.” Fuck. What was he supposed to do? He had looked through Peter’s files. There was nothing…
Unless whatever Peter was reliving wasn’t in his files.
What would he do if Morgan had a bad day? This was definitely not the same as his kid having a rough day at school, but close enough. Fuck, he wasn’t cut out for this, but he was the only one the kid trusted. They’d asked him earlier if he wanted May, and he had yelled, NO!
Hm. What kid doesn’t like TV? “Do you want to watch TV?” Tony gestured to the television mounted on the wall. Peter looked at him with wide eyes and a little smile. TV then. He stood, slowly, keeping his shoulders curled in an effort to seem smaller and less like danger to the boy. He got the remote and pushed two of the chairs in front of it. He sat down in one and turned the TV on. He found a children’s channel. There was an animated show on, something about a superhero who caught bad guys with her pet monkey. He didn’t know. He was paying more attention to Peter, who watched from his spot near the corner.
About an hour ago, Peter’s AI Karen had alerted him of a major injury. Tony had flown there and brought him back here, to their big medical bay, with doctors he could trust. He had reviewed the footage and gotten information from the AI: Peter had been swinging around Manhattan. He’d looked down at the crowd, his heart rate had sped up, and his web had missed a building. He had fallen down eight flights.
When Tony had gotten him here, they’d taken his suit off and found him covered in bruises. Those were already gone. Bones already healed. The doctors wanted to check and make sure everything had healed correctly. They could rebreak anything they needed to- Peter’s healing properties were amazing. But he had to let them check him first, and he wouldn’t.
It took nearly an hour, but the kid eventually came. He crept to the seat beside Tony and sat down, keeping his eyes on the television.
After a minute, he spoke. “Hi.”
His voice was normal. Tony turned in shock. “Kid?”
Peter’s gaze fell to the floor. “I’m really sorry about that, Mr. Stark.”
Tony reached out to touch the kid’s shoulder, but held back. “It’s fine. I’m just… confused. I thought you were acting or something.”
Peter leaned away. Shit, wrong thing to say. “I’m sorry, kid. I’m not- I’m not exactly a doctor. Do you want to talk about it?”
The kid dug his nails into his arm. “I never told anyone before. Not even May or Ben.” He looked up at Tony. “I saw someone in the crowd today. For a second, I thought it was him. I thought he moved back.”
Tony’s stomach dropped. Who was Peter so scared of? “I can find anyone in the city for you. I have pull everywhere.”
Peter chuckled. “I… it wasn’t him. But it was too late. It freaked me out and I fell. I just got scared when the nurse-” His voice cracked. “When the nurse tried to touch me. He was just on my mind. I know she wasn’t going to do anything. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be like this.”
“It’s okay, kid. I don’t think you really had control over it. Sometimes you don’t.” Tony knew this person must’ve hurt Peter badly if the boy was this scared about him. He didn’t want to pry it out of Peter; he knew the best thing Pepper gave him after New York was space and support. He had to do that for Peter now.
“I’ve been thinking about telling you. Since Morgan’s birthday.” Morgan’s sixth birthday was two month ago. He didn’t even realize something was on Peter’s mind. “I know she’s going to school now. She’s getting older. I didn’t remember being so… small. She’s so small, and I’m so big. He was almost my age now. I was eight. He was sixteen.” He sniffed. Tony got a box of tissues from the bedside table and brought them back. “Thanks, Mr. Stark.” He took one of the tissues and blew his nose. “I’m sorry. This is so embarrassing.”
“Did he... hurt you?”
Peter brought his knees up to his chest. “Yeah. I- I want to talk about it. I don’t want you to think I’m weak… even though I just proved I am.”
Tony sat up straight and crossed his arms. “That’s bullshit, Peter. You’re not weak. You’re one of the strongest people I know. I could never be as strong as you at your age. So don’t say that.”
Peter fiddled with an imaginary piece of lint on his pants. “Thanks.”
“You can always talk to me. Or just tell me what you need. I’m here.”
“I was-” A tear trickled down Peter’s cheek. “Thanks. I was just scared. I’ve been wanting…”
Tony gently touched Peter’s hand. “You can tell me.”
“I’ve been wanting a hug. That’s so embarrassing. But I have been afraid of people touching me since he touched me, but I don’t want him to rule over my life. And I know you’re not the touchy type, but if it’s okay. Sorry, it’s probably stupid-”
“Peter, can I hug you?”
Peter finally looked up from his lap. “Yeah.”
Tony reached over and hugged the kid lightly. Peter wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tighter, melting into the embrace. Peter whimpered and started to cry. Tony tried to pull back, thinking it was him that caused Peter distress, but Peter held on. “ N- no. It’s not you. Just. T- Thank you, Mr. Stark.”
“You’re welcome, kid.”
A few minutes later, the doctor came in. He wanted to do an x-rays and physical exams, which meant Peter had to undress and then change into a gown. Tony could tell he really didn’t want to do it, but it was something that was unavoidable. Still, despite the danger, the doctor gave him the option not to. Something about patient consent.
“I can do it,” Peter answered. He kept his head high. Tony knew how much pride Peter had. He didn’t want to show weakness, not with everyone.
“I can stay, if you want.”
Peter looked at him gratefully. “If you’re free. if it’s not too much hassle.”
Peter lay down onto the bed. He held onto Tony’s hand as the doctor pulled up his shirt and pressed different parts of his torso. He closed his eyes as the doctor moved down his body, but didn’t say a word. He held onto Tony’s hand so tightly the man worried his bones would break. Soon, it was over. Nothing seemed out of place, but they would do an x ray just to be safe.
The doctor left so Peter could change, and Tony got up to leave. “Thank you, Mr. Stark.”
“Anytime, kid. I’ll be right outside.”