Psych 101

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/26954017.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: Gen
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Relationship: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Character: Tony Stark, Peter Parker, Ben Parker (mentioned)
Additional Tags: Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Fire, Guilty Peter
Parker, Sad Peter Parker, Peter Blames Himself, it's not his fault, Hurt
Tony Stark, Trapped in a Burning Building, Peter Parker Needs a Hug,
Precious Peter Parker, Peter Parker Whump, Scared Peter Parker,
Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Parent Tony Stark,
Protective Tony Stark, ALMOST Character Death
Language: English
Series: Part 11 of Whumptober 2020
Collections: Whumptober 2020
Stats: Published: 2020-10-11 Words: 1,172 Chapters: 1/1

Psych 101
by Summerwolf

Summary

Whumptober day 11 - Struggling, Crying.

---

"Please!" Peter screamed, his voice cracking at least three times from the panic and the
smoke inhalation. "My dad is in there!" He didn't even notice the slip of his tongue, too
focused on trying to get away, trying to get back to save Tony.

"I'm sorry," the firefighter muttered, actually sounding pretty regretful even as he didn't
release his grip on Peter. "It's not safe for you. Please, just stop struggling and I can get you
to an ambulance and go back for your dad."

Notes

See the end of the work for notes

Peter hummed quietly to himself as he walked out the elevator, a large grin splitting his face which
only grew when he saw Tony hunched over his work bench, a welding iron held tightly in his
hands. Peter knew better than to startle him when he was welding a blow torch, so quietly walked
over to his own bench to continue his tinkling.
The room was silent for a long time, only broken by the quiet whoosh of the blowtorch and Peter
could feel a warmth of belonging settling in his chest as it always did when he was here. It was a
home away from home, and Peter was so thankful he was allowed to be here.

"Oh! Hey kid! I didn't see you walk in," Tony said, stripping his gloves off and pulling off the
mask. "Have you been here long?"

"Not really," Peter shrugged, carefully placing the screwdriver he'd been using back on his desk, "I
just used the time to loosen these screws I've been needing to sort."

"Okay. Come on then," Tony smiled, standing up and waving a hand to tell Peter to follow him, "I
promised I'd take you bowling, and I'm going to keep that promise."

It had been about three weeks ago when Peter had told Tony that he hadn't been bowling since Ben
was still alive. Apparently that was unacceptable, and Tony had promised as soon as he could he
would take him bowling. And as luck would have it, they were both free this weekend and Tony
had not forgotten his word.

Peter hopped to his feet, excitement filling him as he hurried after Tony and tried not to bounce
with excitement. He remembered how much he loved bowling when he was younger, and even
though it had been ages, he knew this would be just as awesome.

There was also something else, something which made him so excited about this trip. He used to
go bowling with Ben on a monthly basis, it was their bonding time, the time they spent together
away from the busyness of life, and just enjoyed the fact they were related. Back then Peter had
thought it was the coolest thing ever. It was their special thing.

And then Ben died, and Peter's heart broke and he'd thought everything was over. And even though
no one would even replace Ben, he had Tony in his life now.

And it just felt so right. To be going bowling with his new father figure.

---
"TONY!" Peter screamed, panic and pain dancing through his voice as string arms grabbed him
around the waist. He had no idea how their lovely day out had gone this downhill so quickly, but
here he was, being dragged out the burning bowling alley, cries of whether it was structurally
sound and other yells of people missing family members surrounding him and drowning out his
croaky voice.

He struggled against the firefighter who was holding him, desperately trying to get back to where
he had last seen Tony, trapped under a fallen beam. Normally he would be certain that the Avenger
would be able to look after himself, but he was caught if guard this time, distracted by Peter's
stupid antics for long enough that by the time the fire started spreading and they started trying to
escape, it was too late.

"Please!" Peter screamed, his voice cracking at least three times from the panic and the smoke
inhalation. "My dad is in there!" He didn't even notice the slip of his tongue, too focused on trying
to get away, trying to get back to save Tony.

"I'm sorry," the firefighter muttered, actually sounding pretty regretful even as he didn't release his
grip on Peter. "It's not safe for you. Please, just stop struggling and I can get you to an ambulance
and go back for your dad."

That was all it took. Peter instantly stopped fighting, practically falling over himself as he
desperately tried to go where the firefighter needed him to go.

He was deposited at an ambulance, and the paramedics started looking him over, asking Peter
questions that he only half listened to, his gaze glued onto the entrance as he waited, hoping that
Tony would be the next one out.

Guilt was pressing heavily on his chest, reminding him with every breath that this was his fault. If
he'd just kept his mouth shut about the bowling then Tony would be fine right now. Maybe they
would be having a movie night, or working in the labs, or maybe they would be doing separate
things in different places, but the point would remain that Tony would be fine and safe and not
trapped inside a burning building, his suit sitting uselessly at home, while Peter sat in an
ambulance being even more useless than the suit.

Fat tears started rolling down his face, only getting heavier the longer passed with no sign of Tony.
The entire building groaned, starting to become unstable enough that the firefighters would have to
get out as soon as they could, and yet Tony still wasn't there, Tony was still in the building and it
was still all Peter's fault.
A million things he could have done differently, a million other outcomes that could have been,
and yet this was the one which Peter caused. This is the reality Peter had to live through.

And… maybe this was the reality Tony had to die in.

Even the thought of Tony dying seemed impossible. He was so present, his personality larger than
life, his impact on the world forever, that it was easy for Peter to forget that he wasn't forever, and
one day he would wither away.

One day.

That didn't mean it was supposed to be today.

A commotion just inside the entrance drew his attention, three firefighters running out with a
victim each over their shoulders, just managing to get clear before the building collapsed behind
them.

Peter didn't know if that was everyone out of the building, didn't know if there were still some
people trapped inside, but in that moment all he cared about was whether Tony was in there, and
whether Tony was safe.

The firefighter from before staggered over to the ambulance Peter was in, waving away the
paramedics who tried to chase Peter out of the way and gently placing his person on the bed.

It was Tony, covered in soot and burns and blood, wheezing with every breath and with a bit of a
dazed look in his eyes, but completely alive and there and not trapped in a collapsed building to
burn alive.

"Kid?" Tiny asked weakly, the paramedics instantly trying to convince him not to talk. Peter
shuffled until he was next to Tony's head, staring down into his eyes and watching as his eyes
cleared just slightly, a weak smile spreading across his face. "You're safe."

"So are you," Peter whispered back, grabbing his least injured hand and clinging onto it tightly,
"you're safe."
End Notes

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