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I'm here now

Summary:

Peter goes to play in the playground and meets a very kind man who says that wants to take care of him but he doesn't trust him so much, maybe he was just being silly or maybe he is right.

But what bad could happen?

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

Today it was the playground day.

"Peter, stay here for moment, okay? I'll be going to the bathroom really quick so please, just stay right here."

No, she wasn't. Peter knew where Judy was going and it wasn't for the bathroom.
Peter likes Judy, she is a young brunette and lives the building where he lives with his uncle and aunt, she always making small jobs there, she helps everyone and she is always polite.
Judy was nice and kept him company while Aunt May and Uncle Ben worked, Aunt May used the word "Babysitter" to describe Judy, Peter didn't like this term bacause have "baby" in the beginning and Peter is not a baby.
But he always kept new words in his mind because when more he learns awhile being with his aunt and uncle more Mommy will be happy with him when she comes back home.

The thing is Judy thinks that he is dumb but he isn't, Peter knows that Judy will meet with Mr.Campbell in his car like she always do, he likes Mr.Campbell too, he's cool, he is a baseball coach in his free time and owns a grocery store far away from here.
He have a glossy red car and he even let him sit behind the wheel and sometimes give him snacks.
Also he is very generous with the ladies that walk around on the streets in the night, always letting them sleep in his car and spends time with them and right after they get out of his red car, he always gives them money. Peter saw this happening some days when he was bored and looking at the window.

"Peter!" - He felt his Aunt hands covering his eyes. - "Don't look at it, it's a bad thing to do being so nosy, you know that?"

Until this day, Peter don't understand why she got so upset at him but he stopped watching what was going on outside because he didn't want to make her sad, he just wondered if their Mommies aren't home like his and they have to stay with Mr.Campbell like he have to stay with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May.
Peter thinks that Mr.Campbell must be very, very lonely person just like him.

"Okay, Mrs.Sanchez. I can do that..." - Peter was dancing but only his feet. He looked at his tennis, they are his favorites. The sneakers were white (Now not that much) and the shoelaces were dark red in the past their soles shone in color. They don't do that anymore, they did it but now they don't. - "Can i please play in the swing? Pretty please?"

"Since you don't get dirty, i don't see any problems with that. Just don't get too far from here, understood?" - Judy took a little bottle of water from her leather bag. - "Here, stay with this in case you feel thirsty."

"Thanks, Ma'am." - Peter could feel how sweaty the bottle was in his finger.

Judy waves at him awhile she walks off into the direction of a red bright car.
Peter decided to walk around a little but he don't want to talk with anyone, today it was his luck day, he was the only child there. He could see two older kids playing catch far away, looks fun but Peter don't want to talk with them, he don't want to mess up their game. He is not good talking people and he stay with the worst part of the game not matter what, he wonders if it's because he is too boring for other kids.
Sometimes Peter feel like he was a thorn in the side for everyone but he never says that to anybody, it's not lying if you don't say nothing and only keep it to yourself. He founds a rocking horse in the playground but didn't look like a horse. Maybe a dragon. Or a dinosaur. Maybe just a monster...
He decided it was better don't even try ride it.
If his Mommy was here things would be different because everything was funnier when Mommy was at his side, even this ugly horse would be funny if Mommy was around.

He misses his Mommy, it's been already trillion days- Okay, maybe not that many days but it's been a really long time that she left. Mommy said that she and Daddy would be going to a trip but won't be a fun kind of trip like the one that they did for the beach, it was like more a work trip for adults only.
Peter never liked that much when Mommy and Daddy goes to work because that means that they don't gonna be around for some time, even Uncle Ben and Aunt May stay away because of that too. But different from Mommy and Daddy, Aunt May and Uncle Ben come back to him in the end of the day and his parents until now didn't.
Mommy always said that was a bad thing to lie to someone else so why she lied to him about when she would come back?

Peter remembers when Mommy and Daddy left him with his Aunt and Uncle.

~

Mommy was carrying him and he felt like he was flying but he wasn't, they were just going up the stairs. He didn't want to be there, he wants go home. Peter likes being there in the weekend, when they could be all together with Uncle Ben and Aunt May but he don't want to stay away from his Mommy more than he already does.
He cried in the car all the way to home to here, trying to make them stop but it didn't work, they didn't listen to him.
Now his nose was stuffy and his eyes felt swollen against his will some watery sobs managed to escape his mouth.

"Shh...." - Mommy was really there but he knew that wouldn't last, this made him cling to the collar of her shirt even more he just sank his head further into Mommy's shoulder, looking for comfort. - "Don't cry, Petey. You making Mommy sad."

"S-Sowwy, Mummy..." - Peter didn't like how his voice came out but he couldn't hold it.

"There is nothing wrong to cry, Peter. But not like that, darling. You don't have a motive to do that. Mommy and Daddy gonna be back in a heartbeat. I swear."

For the first time, Peter have doubts about what his Mommy is saying. He doesn't know why but he feels like there something is bad close to happen.
Something really bad.
Since he was real little, he could feel and see things that most of people don't feel or if they do they just don't tell. Not even Mommy. Peter knows that his Mommy is really sad but she is pretending to be happy, but he knows that his Mommy isn't.
He wants to make her happy but he feels that he can't do that if she and Daddy get in that plane.

Daddy was following them in the stairs, he was quieter than normal, he had serious look in his face and Peter knew that he was sad. Daddy always told the truth when he was feeling sad in other hand Mommy always tried to hide bad things from him but Peter isn't dumb, Peter know when something is bad.

"Hey, don't cry bud, c'mon. Your mom is right, you don't gonna even notice!" - Daddy was being silly again but just wasn't right. - "And you like Uncle Ben and Aunt May, don't you? You three gonna have a great time together!"

"I do, Daddy..." - Peter really likes them. But he don't want to see his parents go. Thinking about letting his Mommy go made him wrap his legs around her waist. - "But it would be even greater with you and Mama."

Daddy eyes were filled with something that Peter didn't knew the word for but wasn't happy or sad.
It was almost a pleading look.

"I would love that but we can't " - Peter noticed that they were in the front door of the apartment, this made Peter started sob once again. - "I'm so sorry..."

~

He misses them.

He even misses when Daddy was grumpy and mumbling, even when Momma made him use that itchy green sweater.

Maybe it was his fault that they don't come back, maybe they're tired all his crying.
Peter must be annoying and they lefted him because they couldn't deal with him anymore.
Mommy said that they would come back in just some weeks, it's been already months. when he asked when they would come back to Auntie May, she just stayed in silent.
So since he was with his Uncle and Aunt he started being a really good boy and didn't ask anymore, he don't upset them so they couldn't left him too and maybe Momma and Daddy would come back if he was good enough.

He deciced to stop thinking because when more he thinks more he wants to cry and the last time that he cried he lost something important. Very important.
The best thing can do is fly, fly away from here but no really he doesn't like planes anymore he hates them now, Peter knows that you only hates something when it hurts you, the planes didn't hurt him but make something not nice to his parents.
He'll only make-believe that he is flying.
Peter likes to do that, is easier than it sounds. Everything that he needs is move with eyes shut and he can be everywhere and anywhere that he wants.

He wants to go the swing, Peter can play by himself, he really can do. Normally Judy would push him but now she is busy so Peter have do it alone.
The moment that Peter sat on the swing and put his hands touched the chain, burned. It was like a hot pot that he once held when Mommy wasn't looking, he remembers that he dropped it on the floor because it hurted and she was upset at him. So quickly lets the chain go and decided to only stay sit there.

"Do you need a little push?" - He heard a man smooth voice but he didn't say anything back.

"Never, ever talk to strangers, Peter! Don't do that again! You know what he could to you?!"

After that Peter never said "Hello" to the sir that moved next door and anyone who wasn't Mommy or Daddy friend. He promised to his Mommy that he wouldn't do that, he don't gonna break it now.

"Hold tight... and here we go." - Peter just had the time to holds the chain before he felt big hands pushing him it was even bigger than Daddy's or Uncle Ben's, first he screams but it quickly died out, he starts to get used by the energy of the pushes until is almost natural, he likes how he could see his feet could almost touch the sky and then he closes his eyes and he could feel like he was really flying, he wonders if Mommy could see him from here, planes fly really high but he is flying too, he hopes that she can see him from there.
He could hear some joyful laughs coming behind him, looks like the man is enjoying himself too.
After some time, the swing stops moving letting Peter tired and feeling like it was harder to keep breathing but he still aching for more.

"Again! Again!" - He chuckles and pleads at the man, he finally looks at him. He looks familiar but a stranger at the same time, he had a had brown hair like his and a beard and was wearing a red hat, he is seems of most adults, normally they are never so playful to kids but he was. Peter likes his sunglesses, it seems cool. And if him was being nice to him there is nothing wrong to worry, Peter only should worry about bad people and this man don't look or act like one.

"You really likes that, uh?" - And Peter timidly nods, he don't gonna lie he enjoyed it and he could see that the man liked it too. - "My name is Tony and you're Peter, right?"

Peter just nods again even liking how it felt flying, he felt so guilty to talk with someone without his Mommy or any other adult permission that he don't even notice how weird was this person that he just meet already knowing his name.
Tony noticed how quiet the boy turned, he just closer and put his hand in the boy shoulder, sightly squeezing it.
He couldn't let this perfect chance pass, he planning it for so long. He know that he only have half hour to do it.

"Hey, what is wrong?" - Peter could feel the grip in his shoulder. He didn't liked that so much but he can't say nothing about it because is rude. - "Has the cat got your tongue?"

"I'm sorry, sir. But i shouldn't be talking to you..." - Peter grumbles more than speaks. - "My Mommy said it's a bad thing talk with strangers."

"Oh, don't be silly!" - He smiles fondly. - "You know my name, don't you? This means that we already know each other."

"But Mum-"

The minutes are passing by and you still here, you're getting out of time, Tony. Think think think-

"I know your mother." - It was the first thing that could earn some trust in a kid, knowing their mother, so this was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

Peter looked at him with his big puppy eyes, it was like suddenly he wasn't such a stranger. Maybe he knows something about his Mommy.

"Do you really know her?"

"Yep, here." - Tony hums and took an old and crumpled paper out of his pocket, it felt different than most papers in his hands, it was thicker, he knew he had already touched something like that when Mommy showed him baby pictures of himself.

"Oh look at you! You had the chubbiest cheeks around!" - Mommy pinched his cheeks awhile looking at the photo, Peter doesn't like being compared to a baby. He isn't one anymore. He can eat with a spoon and all, he doesn't have make a mess with whatever is this orange stuff that him is stuffing on his mouth in the picture.

But looking at the photo it was really his Mommy, the photo was worny and almost torn, even with duct tape sticking to a few pieces, it looked like someone had ripped it, Peter doesn't understand why someone would rip a photo. Photos are memories of happy moments so everyone can remember them, that's what Mommy told him.
Mommy looked happy and different on this photo, she looked fancy in that dress, she didn't had her bangs too and even had makeup and looked more smaller on her sides. (It's a bad thing to say that a girl is bigger than before, that was Daddy said after Peter asked why Mommy got so fat after the stork visited her, he felt sorry to how upset she got, Peter actually still feeling sorry. He was rude and a bad boy to his Mummy, he didn't meant to but still hurt her.), she was different but she wasn't looking ugly, Mommy is never gonna be ugly to Peter because Mommy is pretty like a rose, that was what Daddy used to say.
But he never saw her looking like that, like the rich ladies on TV, she was laughing and there was a guy in a fancy suit who was holding her waist, he looks... He doesn't know how to identify what he is feeling, but he wasn't sad but he wasn't happy either.
He was weird.

"See? It's me." - Tony points at the weird guy at the photo.

Peter stared at the photo and stared at Tony again, they don't look like the same person.
In looks question, yes they are almost the same but now Tony have bags under his eyes and some wrinkles.
But Peter feel something is weird in his tummy when he looks at the photo but when looks at Tony in front of him is almost welcoming.

"Mommy looks so pretty..." - Peter didn't want to say nothing but ended up slipping on his lips. - "Are you guys friends?"

Tony glances at the picture again and this time Peter could see the same look that he saw in the picture, the weird one, it was unnerving to Peter, he can't speak nothing about it because is rude and Peter don't like being rude.

"Yes... She was pretty." - He shallow hard and suddenly he's smiling again like the weird look was never there, like Peter were seeing things. - "She was my friend, Peter. Actually, more than that."

"Mommy and you were best friends?" - If they were more than friends, they must be best friends. Girls and boys can be friends, his teacher said it when Jeremy and Maddy became friends and everybody were singing that they would kiss under tree.

Tony thought for one second.

"Yes! We're best friends. She talks so much about you, even in our last meeting together she talked about you!"

"When was that?"

"What?"

"Your last meeting?" - The innocence in his voice came out as a child-like thing, he could be smart but still just a kid.

"In day of her business trip." - Tony broke the eye contact. - "Oh, Peter she was excited! She even asked me if i could do something for her."

"What did she asked? It was important?" - Peter thinks that he can helps, maybe if he do or helps Tony do what Mommy wanted, she would you forgive him and come back.

"She wanted me to take care of you, Peter."

Peter just stared at him confused.

"But... Uncle Ben and Auntie May are already doing that awhile they're away, sir..."

Tony didn't liked Peter answer and this was made clear by the look in his eyes, he looked angry at him like Peter said something wrong.

"No, no, no..." - He crouched down to be at the height of the boy who was sitting and hold the small hand, Peter didn't liked it but he was afraid to try take his hand away, he looked into Peter's eyes as if he was trying to calm him but at the same time showing his authority, after all Peter was just a 5 year old boy and Tony was an adult, a figure of respect, for a child and for anyone know who is him and had some love for their lifes. - "No, Peter i think you don't understand. They were just temporary help for this, your mom asked me to take care of you. I'm here so now you're not going to be with them anymore, okay? You will come with me, to your new home and... It's going to be nice, you can have anything that you want if you ask me and-."

Tony kept mumbling and mumbling about what they would do, how nice it was going to be but Peter couldn't care less about it, he didn't want toys or vacations to Disneyland (He doesn't even like planes) He wants to stay with Auntie and Uncle, he knows them, he knows that even if they can't give everything that he wants, they love him and they are trying to give him the best awhile his parents are working. But Mr.Tony? He doesn't know anything about him, he looks nice but there is something about him that hunted Peter, he doesn't even know why Mommy would ask someone that he didn't knew to take care of him. Something about him don't felt right, maybe he could be nice and Peter was just seeing things but maybe not.
Peter didn't like this, he didn't like this at all.
He wanted to stay with his family, doesn't even know Tony. He shakes his head right the way.

"I don't- T-They gonna be angry at me if i leave." - Peter says trying to get his hand free, he really didn't want that, he wanted go home he doesn't care about pretend that he was flying, he is getting scared he doesn't know why but he just does. - "I don't wanna them to get mad, sir..."

"They don't gonna be mad. I swear." - The older one says smiling fondly and still holding his hand. - "There is nothing, absolutely nothing wrong, i swear. Actually, i bet that they gonna be happy when you go with me. They don't will even notice that you are gone."

"You told that i could ask anything that i wanted... Right?"

Tony nods confirming that fact.

"I want go home... I w-want to stay with my Uncle and Aunt..."

Tony loses him temper but only inside, he doesn't show it. But Peter feels that now he is mad. He is really mad. His eyes are giving him the same goosebumps than before.

"Peter." - Tony holds his hand tighter and tighter. - "Everything but that. You have to stay with me."

"Please, i-" - Peter could feel his hand start to hurt a little but just a little bit.

"Peter. Don't argue with me."

"I'm sor-"

"I don't believe that you doing this to your mom, Peter. Disobeying her? Looks like when she told me that you're a obedient and nice boy she wasn't being honest. You're saying that your mother is lying? Such a awful thing to do." - Tony tried to look disappointed and concerned. - "Oh, Peter. She will so disappointed at you. Imagine, listen that you didn't obey a adult and even saying that she is a liar? Such bad thing."

Peter did all that?

Tony noticed how the boy expression have changed and took his chance.

"But if you only would come with me..." - Tony bits his lips. - "I wouldn't have to tell her that, y'know? But since you decided to be such a bad child seems like i can't help you." - Tony finally let his hand go, it was almost numb.

Tony got up and waited one second, turning his back on the boy, it was dirty game on child mind. He knows that because that was the kind of stuff that Howard would say to him to keep him quiet. But the thing is it was efficient as hell.

"Wait!"

There you go.

"Y-You swear you don't gonna tell her?" - Peter looks at the ground ashamed, he doesn't remember saying any of these things but Tony knew better, Tony was adult and adults know better. Peter just don't want to his Mommy getting more angry at him that she already was, this would made her stay away from longer and he wanted to see her again.

"Oh, i swear. But only if you good and polite boy with me, i know that you can do that." - He offers his hand to the boy, moving his fingers like on "c'mon" gesture.

Peter looks at his hand and timidly holds it.

"Mister, do you promise that my Uncle and Auntie won't be upset with me?"

Tony didn't bother to answer this time.

"Tony, can i ask you something?" - Peter was hesitant but curious. He was hesitant to leave without anyone close but curious to know something about this man.

"Sure you can, sweetie." - He looks so happy.

"What is your adult name?"

"I'm sorry what?"

"Your adult name, it's the name that people call you when you are adult. They call my Daddy Mr.Parker and call my Mommy Mrs.Parker, so when i'm old like them, i'll be another Mr.Parker just like my Daddy and my Uncle... So what is yours? "

"You don't have to use this "adult" name, Pete. You can use another one." - Tony didn't gave the right word because he thought it was cute see how Peter would make up terms to replace others. - "And your adult name now is Stark. Don't it sound a lot better than Parker?"

"That is your adult name?" - "Why i should use your adult name?" Peter thinks but don't say a word. He is being polite, if he was polite for him, he wouldn't tell the awful things that he said to his Mommy. Peter don't want get him mad.

"Yes. It's our adult name, silly!"

"Sounds like Star..." - He listened to this name before but he can't remember where exactly, but he feel like it was almost everywhere. - "Stars are pretty, i like them, Mr.Stark."

"I'm glad that you liked that..." - Tony decided it would be easier just keep the boy in his arms, lifting him up was too easy. He ignored how Peter looked uncomfortable and tried to keep himself distant making his arms somewhat a barrier to keep them apart and just enjoyed the moment with his kid and kissed the boy cheek. - "You're being so nice to me now, Petey!"

Tony's beard tickles on Peter's face, Peter didn't want to smile but he does, he can't resist to tickles. Tony noticed that and just kiss every single place in Peter's face, his forehead, his cheeks, his hair, his ears and Peter just laughs until his tummy hurts but he still trying to keep Tony away from his face. It was just cute not alarming.

"N-No! No! No!" - Peter tried to cover his face with his arms. - "It tickles! Stop!"

"I'm sorry, Petey-Pie. I'm not going to do this again" - Tony smiles softly and lands a last kiss in his forehead, and took the boy's hair away from his eyes. Now his son trust him enough. Tony thought, he doesn't miss a trick. If his son trusted him enough, this would be enough to do what he needs here and than explain things for the boy, tell everything now would be a mistake, he was almost sure that he would freak out and ruins everything, he knows it would be accident, the boy wouldn't do something so vile by wanting but still would mess his plans. - "I bet you feeling thristy, aren't you? After the swing and all this laughing. You must need some water. I don't want see you with a sore throat, young man."

Tony was right. Peter's throat was more dry than Mommy's attempt to cook a chicken.

"Mrs.Sanchez gave me a bottle of wate-"

"Oh no, no... That one must be already warm, only would worse things and we don't want to see things getting worse or do we?" - Peter shakes his head. - "Good. Here, try this one."

It was colder but so sweaty as the one that Judy gave to him. He just drank it right the way, his was thristy so it was easy to drink it all, even wetting his shirt but Tony didn't get upset for this, he have something in him, a victorious gaze.

"So Peter do you miss your parents?"

"Uh?" - His head was getting swimmy.

"I asked if you miss your parents."

It was hard to process but Peter understood.

"I do, i miss them..." - Peter was getting sleepy too soon today, he scratches his eyes trying to keep them working.

"Who you miss more? Sometimes i miss my mother, she is- better saying was your grandmom, she and my father made a trip too, but it wasn't a plane, it was on a car... They didn't come back, i mean they did but they weren't so alive." - Tony can see his little one battle against unconscious and shakes the boy a little. - "Peter?"

"Mw.Sta- 'M sleepy..." - Peter mumbles.

"I know, my dear. You can sleep now, Daddy is here." - But Peter's Daddy wasn't there but Peter closed his eyes anyway, he was too tired to keep trying.

"You don't have to miss them anymore, i'm here now." - This was the last thing that Peter heard before everything went black.

Notes:

So that was it! Well I had fun writing this but my tests are being a pain in the ass so maybe it will take me a little bit to post the other two and last parts.
I feel like i have to explain myself so in concept: This new series is a collection of three separate fanfics showing the acts of our beloved dark!Irondad getting worse and worse, the other two will involve explicit murders and other heavy and some really dubious things.
And if you are asking yourself, yes, in this fanfiction Tony kinda gave a push to Mary and Richard death, it just wasn’t explicit because it’s mostly in Peter’s POV, who doesn’t even know his parents died.
This one is the lightest of the three because it was mainly focused on Peter and I just hope it wasn't too cringeworth, I tried. :")
So just let me know what you think.
And yeah, English is not my native language, I don't like to remember it all the time but I'm a little insecure about it but I'm trying to get better! So pardon me for any mistakes, i hope you liked it!

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