Work Text:
One month later.
January, 2014
“What are we doing?” Peter asks, poking at Mark 42’s leg.
“Experimenting,” Tony says, and Bruce sighs, leaning against the elevator wall.
“I still think this is a bad idea.”
“I know,” Tony says, “But what would you rather, him finding out in a bad way or in a controlled environment? This way, we can do a series of attempts, get him used to the idea, and eventually, he’ll know it’s you, and he won’t be afraid.” Bruce just sighs again and doesn’t respond.
“What kind of experiment?” Peter asks, doing figure eights between and around Mark 42’s legs.
“An experiment with daddy.”
“Ooh!” The doors ding open in the basement level, and Peter lifts his arms, looking up at Mark 42 with a challenging expression, so Tony gives a command and smirks in triumph when Peter squeaks in surprise when the Mark 42 picks him up. “Dad,” he says fearfully, trying to twist around, “Dad, the robot is carrying me!”
“It’s not a robot, Peter,” Tony reminds him, “I’m controlling it.”
“Okay,” he says softly, though he’s still looking warily at Mark 42’s face mask. They go down a hallway and through a print-coded glass door into a three-level gym; the first level is made up entirely of mats, the second machines, and the third a pool. They stay on the first level, going out into the center of the mats, and Mark 42 puts down Peter at his request. Tony commands him over to the wall, and then he picks up Peter, walking a few feet away before he stops and sets Peter down, kneeling in front of him.
“Peter, you know how daddy is Hulk, too, and I’m Iron Man?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, we want to introduce you to Hulk. Is that okay?”
“That’s okay.”
“You have to be careful, and don’t go near him unless I say so, okay? I’ll be right here, and you’ll be safe, I promise.”
“Okay.”
Tony looks over Peter’s head to where Bruce is taking slow breaths, his torso naked, and his muscles shifting. He’s seen Bruce will on the change before, but it’s always something amazing to behold. Peter gasps when one of Hulk’s fists hit the ground, and then Tony turns him around, nodding toward Hulk. Peter is still and silent, staring up at Hulk with impossibly wide eyes. Tony slowly stands, looking between them until Peter looks over at Tony with a wobbly lip and asks, “Where did daddy go? Did Hulk eated him?”
“Peter—”
“Daddy!” he cries, and Hulk grumbles, looking down at Peter.
“Peter,” Tony says quietly, starting to kneel.
“I want daddy back!” Peter sobs, starting to clutch Ollie, but he doesn’t have him, and that only makes him cry harder, “I want daddy and Ollie back!” Hulk grumbles again, taking a step toward Peter.
“Damn it,” Tony hisses before commanding the Mark 42 over to him. He steps into it, leaving the face mask open, and then Hulk is looming over them, staring at Peter.
“Why did you eated my daddy?” he yells at Hulk, lower lip jutting out as he glares at him, “It’s not fair, I want daddy back!”
“Peter,” Tony says, letting the mask close as he gets into a defensive stance.
Peter looks back at him and screams. “Iron Man eated dad, too! I don’t have daddies anymore! Jarvis!”
He starts to run, but then Hulk grunts and scoops Peter up in one hand, fingers closing over him. Tony can vaguely hear Peter screaming, and he imagines him kicking and sobbing, trying desperately to get loose. Tony forms an attack and rescue plan even as Hulk lifts his hand to his face, opens his fingers, and says, “Peter no cry.” That shuts Peter up immediately, and he stares at Hulk with huge eyes, his face wet and terrified. “Peter,” Hulk says, and Peter squints at him, “Hulk is daddy.”
“No, you’re not! You eated my daddy!” Peter yells at him before he rolls onto his knees and gets to his feet, pointing an angry finger at Hulk, “You give my daddy back, or I’m going to punch you!”
“Damn it, Peter!” Tony shouts, and Peter turns at the voice.
“And you! You eated my other dad! I’ll deal with you next!” Tony blinks, and then he’s laughing, knowing Peter got that from him and Bruce. He straightens out of his stance, observing Hulk’s facial expression and eyes until he’s sure Peter’s safe.
Peter turns back to Hulk, stomps his bare foot, and keeps shouting, “I want my daddy back!”
“Hulk is daddy,” Hulk tries to reason with him, so Peter punches his thumb. Hulk sighs, a low roar, and it knocks Peter on his bum. He sits there, stunned for a second, and he’s about to go on when Hulk says, “Hulk is daddy. Daddy turns into Hulk, but Hulk is still daddy.”
“I don’t believe you,” Peter mumbles, not standing again, “You’re lying.”
“Hulk not lying. Hulk is daddy. Iron Man is dad.”
Peter looks between Hulk’s fingers at Tony, frowning, and Tony waves. He can see Peter trying to figure it out, and he wants to let him come to his own conclusion. Peter holds his gaze a little longer before turning back to Hulk, crossing his arms, and saying, “Fine. If you’re my daddy, then what’s Ollie’s name?”
“Ollie,” Hulk says, and Peter gasps, so Tony laughs.
“I don’t believe you still,” Peter says, narrowing his eyes at Hulk, “Do I like baths?”
“Peter no like baths ever.”
“What’s my best friend’s name?”
“Johnny.”
“What about my other best friend?”
“Wade.”
“What are my daddies’ names?”
“Hulk is Bruce and Iron Man is Tony.”
Peter falls quiet, looking Hulk up and down before he gives a huff and stands back up. Tony starts laughing when he shoots a web at Hulk’s head, and Hulk jumps a little, crying Peter’s name when Peter jumps from his hand and swings over to his other shoulder, climbing up. He sits down, leans against Hulk’s head, and whispers, “You’re not scary if you’re really my daddy, but if you aren’t my daddy, then I’m going to be very mad at you.”
“Hulk not eat daddy. Hulk is daddy.”
“Then I love Hulk,” Peter says, winding his arms as far around Hulk’s head as he can go. “Can I get down now?”
Hulk grunts before carefully picking Peter up off his shoulder and setting him back on the ground. He pats Peter on the head, sending him sprawling on the ground, and Peter looks on the verge of tears, so Tony quickly steps out of the suit and hurries over to him. “You okay?” he asks, and Peter nods.
“Hulk didn’t eated daddy,” he says solemnly, and Tony just laughs and kisses him.
“No, Hulk didn’t eat daddy.”
“When will daddy be back?”
“In a little while.”
“Can I play with Hulk, then?”
“Hulk play with Peter!” Hulk says suddenly before he sits down, and Tony stumbles. When he gains his footing, his smiles and nods, bringing Peter over, and they spend the afternoon that way, getting Peter accustomed to Hulk.