#fixitfic

“Tony, I’m sure he’s fine. Maybe he just went for a walk. There is no sign that he was taken.”

Peter frowned at the voices. Why did they think he had been taken? Was there danger? Other than his senses being dialled to about thirteen there was nothing telling him that he was in danger. But Peter knew he couldn’t always rely on it – especially when there didn’t seem to be any immediate threat. Was Tony in danger? Was Morgan? Using his right hand, Peter pushed himself to his feet, needing a second to make sure he was stable. His left arm was encased in a sling, the damaged arm hidden from view.

The first time he had woken up from a nightmare, he had seen his arm damaged, broken and grey. He immediately flew into a panic, believing that his body was once again turning to ash. He could taste it in his mouth, could smell the decay and he stumbled out of bed, tripping over the blankets. He hadn’t even made it to the door before it banged open and Tony was there.

“I don’t want to go,” Peter sobbed in a panic. “I don’t want to go. I’m sorry, please don’t make me go.”

Tony, pale faced had gripped him tightly. “You’re okay, Pete. Breathe. You’re not going anywhere. Okay. Listen to me. You’re on Earth.”

“My arm,” Peter gasped, choking on the words. “Please, Mr. Stark. I’m sorry. I don’t want to go.”

Strong, calloused hands had gripped his face. “Peter. Listen to me kid. You’re okay. It’s over. You aren’t dying. Look at me. Look at me. That’s it. You’re okay. Your arm is from the gauntlet. You saved us. It’s all over kid, your safe.”

It had taken Tony a while to calm him down, to assure Peter that it was all real. Peter had slumped into Tony’s chest, face pressed against the triangular reactor as his listened to the solid beat of Tony’s heart. Then he vomited down the front of himself and Tony.

“It’s okay, Kid,” Tony rubbed his back, never once pulling away as Peter heaved over their feet. “Let it out.”

Since then they had wrapped his arm in a sling during the night too so that if Peter woke up from a nightmare, it wouldn’t trigger such an epic response.

Worry starting to gnaw at Peter’s stomach, he crossed the bedroom to the door. He pulled it open and stepped out into the hallway. It was empty but it didn’t surprise Peter. He could hear that the voices were outside. He made his way downstairs and through the living room. He looked out the window to the lake. Hovering above the lake he could see Sam flying above but there was no-one else out that way, so he made his way to the front door.

Peter pushed it open, the scent of the lake washing over him. He squinted at the bright light and blinked several times before he adjusted. He stepped out onto the veranda and shut the door quietly behind him. His bare feet made no sound as he padded his way over to Pepper and Morgan.

Morgan was hugging Pepper’s leg as the two of them looked towards the woods in silence. Pepper’s hand was buried in her daughter’s hair, gently massaging as Morgan gently kicked her gumboot encased foot against the pole.

“Mum? Where did Peter go?” Morgan asked.

Peter’s eyebrows flew up.

“He just went for a walk,” Pepper lied.

“Why is everyone so worried?” Morgan asked. “Is it because he didn’t ask for permission first? You told me I always have to ask first before I go outside.”

“You do,” Pepper agreed. “Peter just forgot. He’s still recovering, and we just want to keep an eye on him.”

“So he doesn’t get hurt,” Morgan stated.

“Exactly,” Pepper smiled down at her daughter’s head. “Dad will find him and bring him back for lunch. We should get started on that.”

“I’m pretty hungry,” Peter said, finally alerting the two to his presence.

Pepper and Morgan whirled around as one.

“Peter!” Morgan grinned and raced over to him, crashing into his legs.

Managing to keep upright, Peter cradled the back of Morgan’s head as he looked at Pepper’s relieved face. She crossed the veranda until she was right before him and gently cupped his face.

“Oh, Peter, thank god. Are you okay? Where have you been?” Pepper rambled, eyes darting over him, looking for any sign of injury.

“I was inside,” Peter told her quickly. “I just woke up.”

“Woke up?” Pepper frowned. “Where were you sleeping? Tony checked your room and you were gone.”

Peter felt his face flushing. “I – uh- I woke up under the bed.”

Pepper’s mouth dropped open but before she could say anything Morgan was giggling loudly and staring up at Peter. “Silly Pete! You sleep in the bed not under it!”

“Ohhhh,” Peter exaggerated, making his eyes wide. “You do? Why didn’t you tell me!”

“Let’s get you two inside,” Pepper said, gently pushing the two of them towards the door.

Morgan took off running to the door, opening it up wide before dashing inside while Pepper gently steered Peter with her hand on the small of his back. As soon as they were back inside, Pepper was talking.

“FRIDAY, please alert everyone that Peter is back at the house and he’s unharmed.”

“Of course,” FRIDAY’s voice filtered above them.

“You aren’t hurt, right?” Pepper asked, steering Peter to the kitchen table.

“I’m okay,” Peter assured her. “Well, I did hit my head on the bed but there’s no pain.”

Pepper’s soft hand gently smoothed the curls from his face before she leant forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “There, all better.” She smiled.

Peter beamed and didn’t protest when she pushed him into a chair.

“You gave us all a fright,” Pepper said as she moved to the fridge. She began pulling out ingredients for lunch and a bowl of soup specifically made for Peter as his stomach adjusted to having solid meals again. “Tony went to wake you up for lunch and you had just vanished.”

“Sorry,” Peter winced. “I don’t know why I was under the bed.”

“Maybe you fell out,” Morgan appeared at his side, climbing up onto the chair beside him. “I fell out of bed once!”

“You did?” Peter grinned, assisting Morgan as much as he could.

“Yep! I scraped my elbow too,” Morgan grinned proudly.

Peter heard the whirling of Sam’s wings and the loud thud of him landing on the ground. Peter half listened to Sam taking off his wings and leaving them on the veranda as Morgan happily showed him her elbow and where the graze had been. A few minutes later and Sam was striding into the house.

“You okay?” was the first thing Sam asked.

“I’m fine,” Peter said and watched as Sam’s shoulder’s relaxed.

“Good,” he nodded. “Don’t run off again.”

“He didn’t run off, Sam,” Pepper said, a small smile tugging at her lips now that the worry and uncertainty had disappeared.

“He was under the bed,” Morgan giggled.

Peter’s cheeks flushed as Sam stared at him and he ducked his head.

“Ohhh I can’t wait to hear this explanation,” Sam slowly grinned and he moved into the kitchen to help Pepper.

It wasn’t long before Peter heard the rest of the team hurrying across the front yard and vaulting up the front steps.

“Peter!”

“We’re in the kitchen,” Pepper called, smiling at Peter.

Tony was first through the door, immediately heading to where Peter sat. The younger boy managed to catch a glimpse of Steve and Rhodey before Tony’s worried face was right before him, eyes frantically searching over his face.

“Christ kid, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“M’ fine,” Peter assured his mentor.  

“Fu-uh-udge,” Tony nearly swore. “You can’t just walk off like that kid. Tell someone. Me, FRIDAY, I don’t care just someone! You could have hurt yourself.”

“Oh, he didn’t run off,” Sam said.

Tony looked up sharply and Peter felt his cheeks flush hot and he dropped his eyes to his lap.  

“Peter fell off his bed,” Morgan said brightly. “and he hit his head.”

Peter groaned, wishing he was back under the bed as Tony’s sharp gaze landed back on him.

“I didn’t fall off the bed,” Peter hurried to say. “I just woke up under it.”

“Interesting,” Doctor Strange’s hummed and Peter looked around Tony to see that along with Bruce, Thor and Clint he too stood around the kitchen.

“I’m okay,” Peter said quietly, looking back at Tony. “I’m sorry.” His eyes closed at Tony ducked and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. He leaned into the hand that swept through his curls.

“It’s okay, kid,” Tony said. “As long as you aren’t hurt.”

“M’ not. Promise,” Peter said.

“Lunch is nearly ready,” Pepper said, and her words caused a flurry of movement as everyone moved to take a seat.

Tony took a seat next to Peter, dragging his seat almost to close. Peter didn’t mind and allowed himself to be tucked into Tony’s side. The lingering worry all but vanished as he leant into Tony’s side.

*

Peter was currently taking three naps a day since he had woken up from his coma. He was exhausted constantly and was only truly awake for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Peter often woke on the couch with Morgan pressed against his side and a Disney movie playing in the background after his second nap. Sometimes he woke with his feet in Pepper’s lap and more than once he had woken up on Tony’s chest as the man worked on his Stark Tablet.

So, when Peter woke from his second nap of the day and he was alone his body instinctively screamed at him to get somewhere safe. He was vaguely aware that he was moving but he couldn’t think past the constant get safe, get safe, get safe, that his body was shrieking at him. Eventually the feeling begun to fade, and Peter drifted off once more.

*

“How did he even get up there?”

“Should we move the couch under him in case he falls?”

“Probably not a bad idea.”

“I don’t know, he looks pretty wedged.”

“How do we get him down?”

“Have you got a broom?”

“Don’t even think about it, bird-brain.”

“I believe I can safely get him down.”

There was silence and Peter was overwhelmed with the distinct smell of magic that he associated with Doctor Strange. Slowly he opened his eyes and blinked when he saw Strange’s head poking out of a portal he had created.

“Hello, Peter. Are you awake?” Strange asked.

“S’loud,” Peter yawned. “What’s s’going on?”

“I just need you to come with me for a moment,” Strange said. “You can go back to sleep afterwards.”

“S’go where?” Peter cracked open an eye. “Tony? He okay?”

“He’s fine. He’s waiting for you to come with me,” Strange said.

“He left?” Peter cracked open his other eye, fighting the tiredness that wanted to claim him back to sleep. “Where did he go? Why didn’t he tell me?”

“He’s still here. We just need you to come down,” Strange quickly placated.

“Down?” Peter repeated.

“You fell asleep in the rafters,” Strange explained.

Rolling his head to the right, Peter look down and blinked when he saw a worried crowd below him. “Oh.”

“Can you come down with me?” Strange offered a hand through the portal.

Peter took the hand, allowing Strange to tug him to his feet and sluggishly he stepped through the portal and onto the hardwood floors of the lake house. The portal closed behind him, the scent of magic lingering for a moment before it too vanished.

“There we go,” Strange cooed quietly.

“Tony?” Peter blinked tiredly at the group that now was on his level. He stumbled forward as his mentor pulled him into his arms and shoved his face into Tony’s chest, breathing in the familiar scent of his cologne and motor oil before he was fading into a calming sleep.

*

When he woke up next, he was wedged between the couch and Tony, safely tucked into the crook of Tony’s neck.

“You awake again?” Tony asked, a hand gently smoothing over his cheek.

“M’awake,” Peter smacked his lips. “Dinner time?”

“Nearly, buddy. How are you feeling?” Tony asked.

“Feel good,” Peter yawned and snuffled closer into Tony’s neck. “Safe. Warm. Hungry,”

“I bet you are,” Tony huffed out a laugh. “Your little adventure to the roof must have taken a lot out of you.”

“My what?” Peter lifted his head, frowning at Tony.

“You don’t remember?” Tony asked.

Peter shifted through the fog in his brain to recall the last time he had woken up. He remembers the smell of magic and Doctor Strange and there was a lingering feeling of not being safe for a moment.

“I…the wizard woke me up,” Peter frowned. “Said you needed me?”

“We found you asleep up in the rafters,” Tony titled his head back.

Peter followed his gaze and frowned. “I was up there?”

“Yep,” Tony said, popping the ‘p’ sharply. “No idea how you got up there. Gave Pepper quite the fright when she got off the phone to find you missing again.”

“Sorry,” Peter righted his neck. “I – I don’t know why I went up there.”

Tony shifted so he could look at Peter properly. He lifted a hand and gently smoothed Peter’s unruly curls before coming to cup his ear. “How’s your arm? Does it hurt at all?”

Looking down at his sling, Peter waited to feel any sharp pain in his arm but found none. “No, I don’t feel any more than usual.”

“Okay, good,” Tony’s thumb brushed against his cheek. “Kid, you’re making me go grey and you know I have a heart condition.”

“Sorry,” Peter said again.

“No, don’t be. I know you aren’t doing this on purpose,” Tony said. “I just want to figure this out, so you don’t end up hurting yourself.”

“Or give you any more grey hairs,” Peter teased.

Tony gently tugged on his ear. “They’re all from you. Every single one.”

Peter squawked. “You had them before you met me.”

“Lies,” Tony grinned.

“Do you think something is wrong with me?” Peter asked quietly, picking at his sling. “Because of what I did?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Tony said. “But we are going to figure it out.”

*

“Peter? What are you doing in my toy chest?” Morgan asked.

Peter blinked his eyes open and groaned out aloud when he realised that Morgan was right. His limbs were tucked up, bad arm safely tucked against his chest with an array of stuffed animals and toys mostly covering him. He remembered he had eaten pancakes for breakfast and then he must have fallen asleep at the table because he didn’t remember moving.

Morgan giggled. “Did you fall asleep somewhere funny again?”

“I guess,” Peter pouted. “Want to help me up?”

“Okay,” Morgan helped removed the toys that covered Peter’s chest. When they were clear she took his good hand and helped him stand out. Peter was a little shaky as he heaved himself out of the toy chest. He was lucky that Morgan had so many toys that she required a large toy chest.

“Thanks, Mo,” Peter said.

“No worries,” Morgan beamed. “Want to have a tea party with me?”

“Sure,” Peter said. He felt bad that he was always falling asleep on Morgan and so he didn’t mind when she asked him to have a tea party with him or asked him to dress up with her. He liked the idea of having a little sister, his insides feeling warm and safe and happy.

They set up on Morgan’s rug, and Peter happily played along as she poured them tea and even recruited a couple of her stuffed bears to join them.

“Oh shit, not again,” Peter heard Tony mutter from the level below. “Pep! He’s gone again.”

“Oh dear,” Pepper murmured. “I don’t see him in the roof.”

“Shit, you think he got outside?” Tony asked. “God, Pep my heart can’t take this much more.”

“Hush, he’ll be okay,” Pepper soothed. “He’s just finding places to sleep.”

“What if he hurts himself? He’s sleepwalking and climbing with one good arm,” Tony was working himself up that Peter could almost feel it from where he sat.

“FRIDAY, tell Tony I’m in Morgan’s room,” Peter said.

“Of course, Peter,” FRIDAY responded.

He heard the AI relay the message downstairs and before she had even finished, Peter could hear Tony rushing up the stairs.

“Good idea!” Morgan was saying. “Daddy should have some tea too. Mum as well.” She picked up two more teacups and placed them in the middle of the circle they had created.

“Hey kids,” Tony appeared in the doorway, trying to look as if he hadn’t just sprinted up the stairs. “What are you doing?”

“Having tea,” Morgan said brightly. “Come play with us.”

“Sure,” Tony said. He crossed the room, shifting one of the bears across so he could sit in between Morgan and Peter. “Right, what are we having?”

“Tea,” Peter said. “It’s pretty good. Very fruity.”

“Ahh, excellent,” Tony picked up the plastic cup and held it out to Morgan. “Alright, little Miss. Fill me up.”

Morgan grabbed the matching plastic tea pot and tilted it over the cup. Nothing came out except for their imaginations.

“Ahh, that’s hot,” Tony faked winced.

Peter sensed Pepper in the doorway and before he could turn, Morgan was smiling brightly and saying, “Mum, come join us for tea!”

“Oh, of course. Thank you,” Pepper crossed the room and folded herself down onto the floor and picking up the last cup.

“You wake up early Pete?” Tony asked as Morgan pretended to fill Pepper’s cup.

Peter winced. “Woke up in Morgan’s toy chest.”

Tony glanced over his shoulder and when he turned back his eyebrow was lifted high in amusement, but Peter could sense the worry lingering underneath.

“Well, better than the roof,” Tony quipped. “Unless Morgan mistook you for a toy.”

“Nearly,” Peter laughed.

Morgan giggled. “No! I knew it was Peter.”

Pepper small, warm hand gently squeezed his knee. “You do have a lot of stuffed toys. No wonder Peter crawled in there.”

Peter’s cheeks flushed pink and he hurried to take a sip of his imaginary tea.

*

“Sleep walking can be triggered by stressful situations,” Bruce said. “After what we all went through, it’s not surprising or uncommon.”

Peter, Tony, Bruce, Doctor Strange and Steve were all seated around the kitchen table, discussing Peter’s new kick of sleeping in strange places. Pepper had taken Morgan into town to do a grocery run, leaving them to discuss what was happening.

“Have you been dreaming?” Bruce asked.

Peter shook his head. “Sometimes. Not always though. Mostly at night.”

Bruce nodded and jotted something down in his notebook.

“Do you think something is triggering it?” Steve asked, looking between the two doctors.

“Perhaps,” Strange said. “Peter, what are you feeling before you sleep?”

“Tired,” Peter answered promptly.

Tony snorted and Strange smiled at him. “Other than tired.”

Peter shrugged. “Warm, I guess. Happy, safe.”

“You said that before,” Tony said. “After we found you in the roof.”

“Fell safe with you,” Peter said, cheeks flushing pink. “My senses have been wired high since I woke up. There not as bad with you.”

Tony gently smoothed Peter’s hair, tucking him into his side as they sat next to each other. “That’s good, kid.”

“Really good,” Bruce said. “It’s great you are feeling safe here.”

“The time you found yourself in strange places,” Strange said. “You were alone, correct?”

“I guess,” Peter frowned.

“What I mean is, Tony wasn’t near you. Or at least not in the same room when you were gaining consciousness,” Strange elaborated.

“Where are you going with this?” Steve frowned.

“Peter said he was feeling safe with, Tony. Perhaps when he was waking, he wasn’t feeling safe and simply moved somewhere he couldn’t easily be found,” Strange said.

“That would make sense,” Bruce nodded. “Spiders will often find high places or dark corners to hide during winter to save them from the cold. A place where they can’t be hurt or killed.”

“You’re injured too,” Strange continued. “Your instincts are telling you to get somewhere safe while you heal. Obviously you can control it while you are awake but as you have been sleeping most of the time –“

“I’m sleepwalking to places where a spider would hide,” Peter finished. “Awesome.”

“No, not awesome,” Tony huffed. “How do we stop it?”

“It should ease once his arm heals a little more,” Strange said. “And when he stops needing to sleep as much.”

“And until then?” Steve asked. “Tony’s right. He can’t continue sleepwalking all the time.”

“We just need to find a way to convince Peter’s unconscious state that he is safe,” Bruce said. “Peter, you said Tony makes you feel safe. What is it exactly that makes you feel that way?”

Peter shifted uncomfortably. He knew exactly what made him feel safe with Tony, but he wasn’t sure how comfortable Tony would feel sharing it with the whole table. He knew that the older man struggled with the emotional side of things and while they were now in a place where they could hug, Peter wasn’t sure if they were at a talking stage with it.

“It’s okay, Peter,” Tony soothed. “No need to feel embarrassed. Of course, you feel safe with me. I’m Iron Man.”

Peter rolled his eyes at the joke but felt better that Tony was easing his discomfort.

“I lied, I don’t feel safe with you at all,” Peter quipped back.

Tony scoffed. “Sure, kiddo. Keeping tell yourself that.”

Peter grinned. “It’s actually Pepper.”

Tony mocked glared at him. “Rude.” And he poked Peter in his good side.

“Okay, okay,” Peter squirmed. “It’s your smell. You smell familiar and like home. The sound of your heartbeat and your reactor. It makes a humming sound. It’s too quiet when you’re not there.”

Tony’s arm around his shoulder tightened as he spoke.

“That’s great, Pete,” Bruce said. “These are things we can replicate. We can start by you wearing something of Tony’s. Like a hoodie or something so it has his scent on it and we can record his heartbeat so we can play it in your room.”

Peter perked up. “Can I have the MIT hoodie?”

“What? No – how do you know about that?” Tony frowned. “Have you been going through my closet?”

“Noooooooo,” Peter chuckled nervously. “You always talk about MIT.”

Tony hummed, unconvinced. “Sure kid.”

*

The next morning, Tony beamed as Peter came shuffling into the kitchen, curls slicked upwards from sleep and drowning in the too big MIT hoodie. His kid looked adorable as he grinned sleepily at Tony, shuffling over to his side where he stood at the counter cooking pancakes.

“Smells good,” Peter hummed, leaning into Tony’s side.

“You sleep okay?” Tony asked.

“Yeah, great,” Peter grinned. “This hoodie is comfy.”

“Looks good on you, kid,” Tony agreed. “Go sit down. These are nearly ready.”