Chapter Text
The first time Tony noticed the kid’s incessant shoulder shrugging and arm rubbing, Peter had played it off as tense shoulders due to school stress.
The second time the repetitive motion caught the billionaire’s eye from across the lab he questioned the kid again, maybe a little more forcefully but who could blame him? Concern always seemed to simmer under the surface when it came to his protege. It didn’t help that Peter had simply dropped his hand from his shoulder and played it off as growing pains.
Tony knew it was time to get some real answers when Peter handed his mentor a wrench and couldn’t hide the way his whole body had flinched at the movement.
“Okay, enough Kiddo. I literally can’t sit here another moment watching you fidget and make up excuses. What’s wrong?” Tony hated to see the way Peter’s entire demeanor seemed to droop at the question but he seriously couldn’t handle not knowing if his kid was actually alright or not.
“Um, I’m just a little sore. It’s no big deal, really Mr. Stark.” Peter avoided looking at his mentor and busied himself tracing circles on the nearby counter.
Tony tried not to listen to his chest screaming at him that his kid was hurt, hurt, hurt and instead took a calming breath before quietly asking, “Will you please look at me, Roo?”
Tony smirked slightly at the light blush dusting Peter’s face at hearing the silly but fond nickname. The boy slowly lifted his head, eyes dashing around seemingly for an escape before settling on his mentor’s face.
“Hi.” Tony started, earning a soft smile from Peter.
“Hi.”
“You wanna tell me what’s going on so I don’t panic and worry that you’re secretly shot or stabbed or something equally insane that happens to you every other day.”
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration don’t you think?”
“Nuh uh, no changing topics.”
“Ugh, fine but it’s really not as bad as you think.” Peter said, following as Tony motioned him towards the yellow couch in the corner of the lab.
“I’ll be the judge of that. Now sit and spill.” Tony held his arm up for Peter to sit under but with a bit more hesitance this time. His anxiety quieted however when Peter slotted right in against him, warm and alive and his.
“It’s my joints,” Peter’s quiet voice drifted up from where he was curled against Tony’s chest. “I have super healing and everything but when I have a heavy patrol it means more swinging which means-“
“More wear and tear.” Tony finished, his mind already racing, connecting dots and calculating risks and thinking of preliminary solutions.
“Right. And even with my healing I think the continuous stress on the tendons and cartilage is just a little more than it can repair instantly.”
“Leaving you sore and achy.”
Peter nodded, enjoying the warmth cocooning him at the moment. He wasn’t about to admit that sore and achy was a bit of an understatement when it came to his shoulder and arm pain. He was lucky if his body didn’t feel like a gnarled up mess even after a light patrol.
“We gotta figure something out kid. You’re not allowed to have creaky bones and sore joints for decades yet.”
Peter snorted. “Like you?”
“Um, excuse you. I’m literally Iron Man. A superhero. A magnificent-“
“Oh my god, please stop. How does Miss Pepper put up with you?”
It was Tony’s turn to snort out a laugh this time. The pair let the conversation fizzle out into comfortable silence as they settled in. The younger’s mind quieted as he basked in the familiarity of his mentor close at hand while the latter’s mind continued to puzzle through several ideas at once.
Tony subconsciously started rubbing light circles up and down Peter’s back while he was lost in thought. It wasn’t until the kid gave a happy little hum that he even noticed himself doing it. Now that he was paying attention though he could feel the tension practically radiating from the kid’s tight muscles underneath his hand. He experimented a bit with varying amounts of pressure as he swept his hand across Peter’s shoulder’s, down his spine, and up to his neck.
By the time Tony realized a massage would be easier with the kid laying down, Peter was already a dozing limp noodle against him.
Tony smiled as his kid’s soft snores broke the absolute silence of the lab. It was amazing to him how even asleep, Peter’s presence somehow seemed to fill the space he was in. The man was beyond thankful everyday that the kid managed to bulldoze his way into his heart. And because he loved this kid so much, he’d do whatever it took to find a solution for him and his aches and pains.