#but it's also tainted by highschool memories (yes yes i say do not let others ruin things for you but i also used to be more passionate then

[mihai-florescu]

I am plagued by theatrical productions i'll never see... it's not like a book i can pick up at any point and return to with new insights as an omniscient reader. No one experiences a play the same but the momentality of it makes you more aware of your role, be it on stage or the audience, the story flows because of your presence at this exact moment. And there are countless plays at this very moment everywhere in the world, there is so much i will never know or experience? It will just be lost to time, to others' perception and memory?

[whereisstevethestove]

Ventricle.

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Characters: Virgil, Logan, Katrina Flores (OC), Nico Flores

Relationships: Familial Logan &Virgil, hinted at Logan x Nico

Additional Tags: abortion mention, bisexual disaster logan, teen parenting, hate sex mention, logan having an emotional breakdown in a walmart, nico being a smooth motherfucker.

Word Count: 1805

Summary: Logan made a dumb decision when he was eighteen, which led him to being saddled with a difficult choice when he was just nineteen. Now he's living everyday with the consequences.(in the accidental adoption universe, but can be read as a stand alone. no prior knowledge needed)

Notes: *me, looking at the lack of nico x logan*: Fine, I’ll do it myself.  Also, I have an actual angst logan x nico fic coming out later today maybe, probably.

AO3  

@psychedelicships  here’s some logan and nico... at the end, but I promise it’s worth it.

He was nineteen, young and dumb when it happened-

Logan stared down at the sleeping boy in his arms, a newborn that was only five hours old, with a shock of black hair that was reminiscent of Logan’s baby photos.  He was the only one awake, his ex also asleep from the sheer toll of birth on her body.

She had wanted to keep him, and then, now that Logan was holding the infant, she had admitted that she was going just… throw him into the foster system and hope that someone wanted him.  Logan hadn’t wanted to keep the child, he’d begged her to have an abortion, but he’d promised in the end to still pay child support if that’s what she wanted.

But now…

Now he was holding his son.  She didn’t want him, he looked too much like his dad, and Logan could feel his own heart tearing apart as he thought of giving him up.  

His ex stirred and Logan looked up as she opened her eyes, a look of displeasure on her face.

“You’re looking at it all weird.”

Logan smiled softly down at the infant.  “I know.  He’s beautiful.”

“Easy for you to say, you’re not a teen mom.”

“You told me that you don’t want him.”

“And I don’t.”  She looked up at the ceiling of the hospital room and sighed.  “Where did we go wrong Lo?” Lo.

Ah yes, the nickname that she’d called him for so long, when they were first dating junior year in highschool.  Logan used to look back on his past with fond memories, but now everything was tainted the smallest bit darker with the realization that he had, in fact, cut his younger phase short.

“It was the drunk hate sex, I’m sure.”  He responded and she laughed.

“I can’t take him.  I want a life Logan.”

Logan nodded.  “I’m sorry.  But if I may?”

“May what?”

The infant yawned in his sleep and Logan’s heart broke again.  “I’d like to take him.  You won’t have to pay child support, we can go our separate ways and never talk again if you want, but goddamnit, I want to raise him.”

She shot him a rueful look.  “Take him.  After I’m discharged, I never want to see you again though.”

“Of course.”  Logan held back his happiness, but his face betrayed him and even she knew as she watched him hold the infant just a bit closer.

Maybe a part of her wondered how someone like Logan could have ever loved that deeply.

Maybe a part of her didn’t care.

…

Logan had a harder time the next morning convincing the nurse who was filling out the paperwork to put him down as the provider.  After all, the kid was supposed to go straight to adoption, and now the father wanted him.

Not to mention the whole naming thing.  She was less than impressed when Logan told her that he wanted the infant to be named Virgil.  

Logan won both battles and after a talk with Virgil’s doctor, he was heading out to his car with the infant safe in a carrier, which he buckled in before getting in the driver's seat and leaving.

…

He had no idea what he was doing.  Virgil was sitting in the shopping cart child spot, chattering happily in the gibberish that only babies spoke as Logan had an emotional breakdown in front of the baby food.

It’d been six months since Virgil had been born, and according to online and the various books he’d read, advice from his mother and also from his great aunt, the kid should be fine starting solids, but he didn’t know which.

Virgil babbled something and a tiny hand patted Logan’s hair.   He looked up and Virgil giggled before reaching for his glasses.  Logan leaned his head back a bit.

“Virgil, we’ve discussed that you cannot gnaw on my glasses.  You have a teething toy or a pacifier if you’d like.”

Virgil clapped.

There was a gasp behind him and Logan looked back to see a woman, who was grinning at the pair.

“Is that your son?”  She walked up to him and cooed at Virgil.  “How old is he?” “Six months.”  Logan said tiredly as Virgil clapped again and the woman smiled.

“He’s clapping so early.  Most don’t for a good while.”

Logan pumped a tired fist in the air.  “Wonderful.”

“I’m Katrina, I’ve got some little ones at home, it can be tiring.  How old are you? You look a little young to be this sweetie’s daddy.  What’s your name?”

Logan held out his hand for her to shake.  “Logan Alt, nineteen.”

“Oh!  Is your lucky bride at home?”

Logan bit his lip and looked down at the floor of the supermarket.  “Ah, no.”

Katrina seemed to freeze for a moment, but it was fleeting enough that Logan ignored it as she looked up at him.

“Six months you say?  He should be in prime time to start solids.”  When Logan nodded, she seemed to straighten up.  “Would you like some help with a list of foods that you can start him on?  I also have a wonderful book in my car I can grab you.”

Logan stared at her.  

Then he burst into tears and Katrina pulled him into a hug, rubbing a hand soothingly across his back.

“Hey darlin, I know how hard it can be, having a young one so early.”  

Logan nodded into her shoulder and she pulled him back to arms length, a soft smile on her face.  “You’re gonna be the best dad this kiddo ever has.  Let me help you get him some starter foods and then I’ll give ya my number and you can call me on my phone whenever.  We sure are damn lucky for these samsung flip phones, aren’t we?”

“Thank you…”  Logan stuttered out as he wiped at his eyes.  Katrina nodded and gave him another hug before turning to Virgil and patting his head. 

“Hey buddy.  I’m here to help your daddy, okay?”

Virgil babbled something and mirrored her smile.  Katrina gave him another gentle pat on the head.  “Thank you for letting me know that very important thing.”

Logan looked down at Virgil.  “What’d he say?” Katrina’s response was simple.  “That he loves you very much.  Onward to the bananas!” …

Katrina and her family were there when Virgil first waddled up to Logan, and said his first word.

“Space!”

Logan blinked as Virgil made grabby hands, but he complied and lifted his son up into his arms.

Katrina leaned over.  “Looks like you have a little science nerd.”

Virgil reached out and excitedly patted Katrina’s shoulder.  “Space!”  He crowed out and Logan couldn’t help but grin as his now one year old excitedly chirped the word again, squirming in Logan’s arms.

“Looks like you might be right.  Would you like down?”  Logan asked and Virgil nodded vigorously.

Logan set him down.  Virgil laughed and clapped again before looking up at his dad with glee.  

“Space!”

“That’s right.”  Logan nodded solemnly.  “Space.”

Virgil waddled off to where Katrina’s other kids were playing, and the group easily parted to include him.

“Kat.. thank you for inviting us to your Christmas celebration, you didn’t need to.”  Logan looked away from Virgil and she shrugged.

“Lo, with your mom’s passing in November, you told me that you didn’t have anywhere to go, of course I’d offer you my home.”  Katrina picked at a loose thread on her sweater.  “Virgil deserves a good first Christmas, and you need social interaction.”

Logan laughed softly.  “I guess you’re right.”

“I always am.”  Katrina crossed her arms.  “I need to go check on my husband, but I’ll see you around.  Try talking to my younger cousin.”

Logan looked around the room.  “Where are they?”

Katrina pointed to a man Logan’s age, who was sitting on the couch, surrounded by the stuffed animals that the other kids were bringing to him.  “Nico Flores.  He’s single.”

She winked and Logan rolled his eyes at her fondly before heading over to the couch.  Nico looked up from the kid who was speaking to him, a grin splitting his face.  “Hey!  I could use some company!”

The kid that he’d been talking to rapidly fired something at him in Spanish and Nico laughed before responding in kind as Logan carefully moved the stuffed animals and sat next to him.

Once the kid had gone back to the others, Nico held a hand out for Logan to shake.

“Nico Flores.”

“Logan Alt.”

“That your son?”  Nico pointed to Virgil, who was sitting on the ground as another one year old passed him blocks, which he promptly threw down with a laugh.

“Yeah, how’d you guess?”

“He’s the whitest child here.”  Nico ran a hand through his hair and grinned at Logan.  “You’re extraordinarily pale.”

“It’s the german from my father’s side.”  

“Ah.”  Nico laughed as a girl brought him another stuffed animal, taking one from the pile on the ground at his feet as she switched them out.

“Thank you Tio!”

“It’s just Nico, you know that Gemma!” 

Gemma gave a screeching laugh as she ran off.   

“So, how’d you meet my cousin?”

“I had a bit of a rough time finding Virgil, that’s my son, some food as he was about to start solids and I’ve never had a child, so I was unsure of what to buy him and she helped.”  Logan smiled as Virgil looked up to find him, getting off the ground to waddle over and hold his hands up.   He picked up Virgil, who pulled his glasses off his face and held them out to Nico.

“Space!”

Nico took the glasses and nodded seriously.  “Space.”

Virgil, pleased, wiggled out of Logan’s grip again, but not before stealing a stuffed animal from the pile.

Nico handed him his glasses.  “He’s sweet.”

“Indeed.”  Logan smiled fondly before shaking himself out of it.  “So, what brings you here?”

“Kat invited me because, and I quote: ‘There’s gonna be a hot boy here, I swear it.’”  Nico grinned at him.  “She wasn’t wrong.”

Logan felt the blush start to creep up his face and he swallowed nervously.  “Oh?”

“Yeah.  It’s a pity I don’t know his number.”  Nico leaned back on the couch and shrugged.  “It’s also a pity that there’s not really any mistletoe nearby, the cat’s allergic.”

Logan felt like he was gonna die.

“Guess I’ll never know.”

“Ifyoureallywantmynumberyoucouldhaveit.”  Logan blurted out in a rush.

Nico gave him a blinding grin.  “Sounds like a date.”

Yeah, Logan had made some dumb decisions in his teenage years.  But if it had led him to a warm Christmas party, with a cute boy his age next to him and an adorable son playing with his friend’s kids…

Was it really dumb?

[mochikeiji]

[Always Behind You.]

Pairings: Kageyama Tobio x Hinata Shouyo

Genre: Pinch of fluff, accidentally poured too much Angst.

GIF is not mine!

"We're tired of you, Kageyama. We're done."

The snarling, spiteful voices of his past teammates would always ring in his head whenever he was stuck into an oblivion. Kageyama knows his skills as a setter, his intelligence innthe game. It was ashamed that no one could keep up with him. He felt his talents would be wasted if he settled for less or the weak. He needed to be with those who remain standing, unshaken. That team being in Shiratorizawa, but he wasn't accepted. He rememvers his grandfather had taught him when he was starting to like volleyball as a luttle boy,

"You'll find someone stronger than you. And when you do, you'll give it your all."

Deep inside when he heard those words, "Someone will be stronger than you." he didn't like the thought of it. To see him weak in the knees, teamed up with someone stronger? He'd want to battle with that instead. He will never let an opportunity pass so idly. No one was better than he is. No one could even keep up with him.

Or so he thought before meeting his rival.

"I can keep up with your toss!"

Never in his life had he heard someone say that so idiotically straight forward yet manages to make his spirit burn bright. He didn't want to believe in the boy named, Hinata Shoyo. He was lacking, unbalanced, reckless. Something you don't want to see play in the field knowing at any moment he'd mess up a set. But the memory of him jumping higher than any player before back in middle school was one key than opened the door to his peek of interest in someone.

"You're short, how do you expect to keep up with me?"

"I can jump high."

What a waste of time. He remembers thinming that wag the day the two of them had to make amends in order to get in the team back in first year. It was a rough start for the both of them. They weren't the kind of friends you would claim as good companions. Rather it was more on a cat and dog like. Sometimes behave, sometimes rowdy. Kageyama just forces himself to be a good person because he cared nothing more to the weaklings.

That was before when he unleashed the beast inside of the shorter male. If he was going to have to be honest at some point, Hinata would definitely be more terrifying than he was when his eyes would glints in a dangerous way. The ones where its not just determination you'll see, but the looks as if you shoyld watch your back and not underestimate his capabilities. That's where a real change happened to Kageyama. He had learned to respect him, acknowledge him.

Like him.

"I'll always be behind you!"

Kageyama may not show it, but he lives for the reassurance Hinata has given him. The team, yes, they also give him those. But all his motivations were only able to lighten up unless it was him who speaks it.

During those times, Kageyama would be in painful stress. Always trying to perfect his sets, adjust, be better. Never had he realized he has made a monster out of the latter. It would sometimes annoy him when he keeps asking for toss, but he finds himself smiling, and letting himself wrap around his finger as time passes on between them.

Oikawa noticed how his demeanor would change around Hinata. Maybe he's hit the nail on his head when he told him if he was giving him what he wants. Now, Kageyama doesn't do that before. Kindaichi and Kunimi claimed that when they met again. Kageyama would always go on his own pace. That all he cared about was winning. And now he was following after someone they deemed weaker than he was. How can Hinata have Kageyama do all those without him realizing?

No one would point out how soft he's gone for him. Not even Tsukishima. Something about him didn't seem right at all. Tsukishima would look uninterested in many things, but there was this even more powerful aura emmiting around Kageyama as he stood by Hinata in everything. In or out of the game.

"I met another setter, his name is Kenma!"

He doesn't know why a vein popped from his forehead and fire blazing around him. He didn't like it when Hinata would fond over other players, specifically setters. He didn't like the idea of someone with better skills take away the only person who could keep up with him.

Like a cat, Kenma would run away from Kageyama after believing in the characteristics Hinata had demonstrated him when they met. Some people may think of it as an adorable interaction, but Kenma never revealed why the hair on his skin went up and his pupils shrinking. As if he needed to defend himself or run away.

"You're really awesome, Kageyama!"

Heart beat quickening, his breathing almost stopped when he heard that. You can confirm it was like a praise kink right now.

He was so flustered.

So happy.

Instead of getting glares, and comments only acknowledging his skills and not his well being. He was being praised for all of him. And he wants to keep hearing it. From him. Him only.

He wants him to keep catching him. Keep praising him. Keep telling him he's always there.

He wants Hinata.

"Kageyama bring us a good toss, alright?"

It was the fight for the Nationals. Them agaisnt the eagles— Shoratorizawa. His fingers were fidgeting around the ball, he was getting nauseous. He can feel his feet were getting pulled down by some kind of roots from beneath him. The ace from the other side stomping on his head. He was scared to make the same mistake as before. If they habe to win, if he has to win. He has to let lose. But he fears that history will repeat itself if he does.

His body jolts up slightly after a hand patting his shoulder startled him. Instead of the wide gap he used to see in the court, he sees light. He sees Hinata smiling up at him, giving him a thumbs up as the whistle cues.

"I'll be right behind you, Kageyama."

Those were the lines that replaced the old haunting ones a long time ago.

They had 2 years together. Two years of growing stronger, better. And bonding. Kageyama was thankful he was brought to this school and to him. Almost forgetting about the promise of beating each other in different teams.

No.

He wantes to stay as teammates.

There will be no one in the world to replace his eyes on how they view the oranged haired male. How they would shine brighter, how he would smile wider.

Not Ushijima.

Not even Hoshiumi.

He wants no other ace, spiker. He wants only Hinata.

"I really don't like it when my spiker gets bothered, Kageyama."

He could say the same thing to him— Atsumu.

In the present time. He and his team had come face to face with the Black Jackals. Hinata.

Having to remember the fit of screaming, the wall against his knuckles as he punched them until they bled, and his eyes wide with tears when he found out Hinata had left to Brazil. Had left with other teams.

Everything snapped.

And now here he was staring widely at Hinata, who was hiding behind Atsumu. Bokuto on his side, smiling, but inside he wanted all of them to go away. Away from him as he recalls what Tsukishima had told him before om why Hinata had changed.

"Watch your back, Kageyama. Don't ever come near him again."

That was the last thing he heard from Atsumu before everyone of them walked away in the distance. He memorized the way he spat those words at him. As if he had the audacity to steal his former spiker. His other half.

That was just a week ago during their little encounter.

For Hinata, he had always been so oblivious in highschool. He knows that, and he regrets it. The day when he had graduated, finally moving out of Karasuno, Kageyama was hot on his heels. He almsot sounded like he was pleading him to come to the same school as he was, but Hinata had said he had different plans. He didn't know why Kageyama grabbed him by his shoulders and began shaking him back and fort to make him dizzy. He was beyond confuse when he started crying, "I need you!", "To hell with your plans, you're better off with me!"

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were the ones in that scene and had pried him off of the shaking spiker. Tsukishima was smart no doubt, he said Hinata will talk again with Kageyama after healing from this.

But in reality, Tsukishima was helping Hinata escape.

For Kageyama was not stable.

It was bad now that none of the old members were here right now. They all knew how twisted Kageyama was, but chose to hide in from the eyes of the innocent Hinata.

And he wished he was never so stupid before as he was kneeled down on the cold river infront of him. It streamjng fresh water slowly tainted by metallic crimson ones, a black floating obkect rising above the river to where the smell was gwtting stronger and the crimson spreading faster.

The body of his precious setter.

Atsumu Miya.

Hinata could never bring back the time. He could never take back the moments wherein he should've stayed for everyone's safety. For everyone's lives.

He should've taken the offer the devil that was just watching the corpse flow in the river, the bloody knife hidden behind his back with no sign of regret as his fingers stroked the sobbing ones head.

"I'll always be right behind you."

°°°°°°°

a/n: did i forget to mention its a Yandere!Kageyama fufufu

[diazevan]

vii. isolation

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of suicide and depression throughout (Be cautious, my loves!)

-----------------------

It’s not healthy. 

The way Peter’s mind works. 

He’s not stupid, he knows he’s not okay.  

His mind is an open wound. Every little thing that goes wrong is like pouring salt on the injury.

Bad luck followed him everywhere, it loomed over every decision he made, so the wound never got the chance it needed to heal. 

He was selfish, right? That’s what he thought, but he was sure everyone he loved would have one million defensive things to say if he ever found the strength to admit how he was feeling. They’d tell him that he needed help and they would always be there for him every step of the way. He’d love them for every word they’d say and every promise they’d make, but it was sentiments like that, that made him feel selfish.  Everything in his life had fallen into place, and every dream he’d ever had had came true. He had Ned. His best friend, who would go to extreme and somewhat dangerous lengths, just to make Peter smile. 

And, MJ. His ridiculously intelligent and witty girlfriend, who seemed rough around the edges, with a blunt bravado, but together, they simply melted. There was Happy and Rhodey. His two overprotective uncles, who would do anything for him, that included hiding a body. Of course, there was May. His aunt who was also, his mum, in more ways than one, she had and would keep sacrificing everything she had, for him.  He had Pepper. His other mum, so to speak, who welcomed him into her life with open arms, and loved him. There was Morgan. His little sister, who looked at him in awe every single day, like he’s the one who knows all the secrets of the universe. Finally, there was Tony. His father-figure, the one who discovered time travel in a single evening, so he’d have the chance to bring Peter home.  He did just that. Peter wasn’t sure if he was worth the hassle.

They were his family, and they would hold onto him and stop him from falling, even if that meant sacrificing their time or well-being. Yes, Peter could latch onto them for help but would feel like he was using them to fix himself. 

They had their own lives to live and problems to deal with. Who was he to stand in their way?

He should have been grateful, he should appreciate that he is loved. He wasn’t okay, this couldn’t be healthy because even surrounded by his family, he felt empty. 

He pulled them down when he was like this. He didn’t deserve them, not after all the mistakes he had made.  Not when he was out of the loop, in a changed world. Everything moves forward, but he doesn’t. He can’t. He tried. He really did. He fantasised about free-falling. Not as Spider-Man, that was different. If he fell as a hero, he caught himself because that was in his job description. This fantasy was different. He dreamed of falling, and that was it. There was no punchline. He would just fall. He wouldn’t swing himself to safety and no one would be there to catch him. This was not healthy. He’s not okay but the thought is there, at the back of his mind, every day. The idea of letting go, and it would be over, right?

He knew they would miss him, but everything would turn out all right in the end, because they all had each other, and Peter wouldn’t be around to dampen the mood.

No, this wasn’t okay. Peter wasn’t okay and he knew that, but he didn't know how to stop feeling like this. Peter spent hours every day planning how he would say goodbye to those he loved in a way that they wouldn't what he was planning to do. For Ned, he would throw a Star Wars party, where they’d spent a weekend watching every single movie. He’d sit with MJ on the edge of a skyscraper, he would probably fall asleep, with his head rested against her shoulder, while she spent the time doodling in her sketchbook. He’d have one of his monthly top-secret lunches with Rhodey and Happy, where they spent their time teasing Tony. For May, he would set aside a weekend to watch classical musicals, they’d clumsily dance and attempt to hold a tune together.  He would spend an entire afternoon talking to Pepper, about anything and everything. Whenever they got together, they gossiped like highschoolers.  For Morgan, he’d play the day away, making sure she would have the time of her life and their memories wouldn’t be tainted by his potential choice. His final night would be with Tony, they’d watch some mediocre film, and he’d fall asleep, with his head rested against Tony’s chest, spending one last moment, safely held in his arms.  His family weren’t stupid, they knew something was wrong. He’d started to hide away. He spoke less and never laughed unless it was false.  Tony and May had spoken to him. He was scheduled to talk to a therapist but he didn’t want to go, he didn’t want to admit how he felt, even to a stranger, who was obliged not to tell anyone what was said. However, they could, if they found that he was a risk to his own life. The problem was, with all the conflicting thoughts rushing through his mind, he was. Everyone thought he was isolating himself because he was struggling to settle in the aftermath of the blip. They thought that because that’s what he told them. He lied to an extent, so they wouldn’t see all the other problems buried underneath. The blip was a factor but he didn’t care about that anymore. His true struggle was he couldn’t wrap his head around the complexity of breathing. Why is it so hard? Why did it hurt? It’s an instinct. Every living creature breathes. There’s nothing complicated about that. So, why did he feel like he was drowning? Every breath he took, he was swallowing ocean water, and it didn’t matter how hard he tried to reach the surface, his hand always slipped. If he fell, maybe it wouldn’t be so hard anymore. The truth is, he didn’t want to go. Not really. He needed everything to stop, for a second, so he could see where he was going wrong. He needed to be pulled out of the ocean to the safety of the shore.  It was almost two in the morning and like most nights, he hadn’t slept a wink. He was staying at the Lake House for the weekend. Thanks to his abilities, he’d managed to wedge himself between his window sill and bookcase, he longed for small safe spaces, places he could hide away, and try his best to forget everything. He needed help desperately, but at the same time, he wanted to fall. He was stuck in the empty in-between, not sure what to do. He escaped from his cramped corner and quietly walked out of his room. The house seemed silent until Peter realised that he had dissociated. He dug his nails into his palm and scrunched his eyes shut as he tried to anchor himself.

All sound came at once. He winced as he clamped his hands over his ears, it was too much input. He heard Tony gently humming downstairs, as he washed up, and the faint sound of the television. He tried to focus on one particular noise and his heart landed on the distant sound of Morgan snoring.  He tiptoed over and gently pushed Morgan’s door open. Morgan was fast asleep, tucked under her duvet, hugging her Spider-Man plushie close to her chest. Pepper was out cold too, knelt beside the bed, with her head rested against her folded arms.  Tears filled Peter’s eyes, he brushed them away with the back of his sleeve. He was Morgan’s hero, he had been for years, and he felt like he was letting her down because he felt like this. He swallowed the sob in his throat, he didn’t want to startle Pepper. He shuffled across the room and grabbed a blanket from the corner; he carefully wrapped it around Pepper’s shoulders, and he took the storybook out of her hand, placing it on Morgan’s bedside table.  He backed out, quietly clicking the door shut behind. Run...! His instincts screamed while his heart softly muttered, Stay. No, he shook his head, I can’t do this…. He turned on his heel and hesitantly crept downstairs. He pulled the sleeves of his jumper over his hands to stop himself from digging in his nails. He quietly stepped off the last step and clung onto the bannister.  Tony was dancing in the kitchen as he put all the clean cutlery back in the draws.   Peter’s throat seized, realising he was about to change Tony’s mood, with his baggage. Although, he was slowly starting to realise that’s what Tony would want him to do. Tony might be happy, but if Peter fell, Tony’s life would never be the same. He’d never dance around the kitchen, without a care in the world, if he lost his kid that way. If Peter opened up now, then the scene playing out in front of him would happen again. It might take a while for them to get back to the way it was before but it was achievable.  “Tony…”  Tony threw the dishtowel over his shoulder as he turned around, “Pete?” He narrowed his eyes, studying Peter’s trembling stature, he rushed over, “Hey, hey…” He reached out, catching Peter’s wrist, “What’s wrong, kid?” Peter blinked tears away as he clutched onto Tony’s arm hoping he could pull him to shore, “I…” He looked up into Tony’s wide panicked eyes, “I need help.” With that admission, he broke. It was raw and unbearable, it hurt his throat, and stung his eyes. Tony dragged him into a hug, threading his fingers in his hair, and rubbing circles on his back, as he muttered soft promises.

Peter’s not okay but in Tony’s arms, at least he could breathe again.

It’s a tiny victory, but it’s the first step forward.

You can follow this month of scheduled Iron Dad Angst on AO3