A Slice Of Life, Death And Everything In-Between

Prompt by @iiiseren: I LOVE YOUR WORK SM!!!! Idk if ur still taking irondad prompts but can you do 36 with a very overworked peter. Ily <3 (36. Scalp Massage)

Disclaimer: I do not own Spider-Man or any related materials.

                               __________

Tony could definitely tell that something was wrong.

When he got home, shrugging off his dress coat and toeing off his shoes, the billionaire didn't even see his son on laying on the couch until Tony moved past the blank television.

"Peter?" Tony says, jumping a bit in surprise as the thing he had previously thought of as a pile of blankets gives a small groan, his child's legs curling closer to his body as he shifts. "Bud?"

Peter just turns his face further away, stuffing his nose into the pillow and groans once more against the fabric.

Tony, frowning now in concern, moves closer to the spidering. As he shifts past the coffee table, the genius can see the pained creases around his son's face, the area around his doe eyes squinted as he shivers. Reaching down, Tony gently sets a hand against the back of his kid's head, feeling the heat radiating off.

"You feeling okay, bambino?" The superhero asks in a whisper, beginning to run his fingers through the soft strands of hair at the base of Peter's neck.

And he can see Peter begin shake his head, to deny what Tony can obviously feel, but the young Stark seems to think better, nodding after a second.

"Tired." He grunts out, turning his body toward his father as the man gently sits beside him, the cushion sinking under their combined weights. "Head hurts."

Tony winces in sympathy, gently pulling his son up and settling his head back into his lap, smiling softly when his boy shifts closer with a small sniff.

"Oh, il mio cuore," The billionaire coos. "I'm sorry, kiddo. Have you had anything to eat today?"

Peter nods, his curls shifting under Tony's hand. "Yeah, had some left over pizza from last night." A yawn. " 't'was good."

Blinking his doe eyes up at his dad, the teenager leans into the man's gentle touch with a small grunt, shifting so that his body was curled up against Tony's.

Getting an idea, the genius moves both of his hands so that they are on either side of Peter's head, his thumbs rubbing small circles in his son's temples. Peter lets out a small gasp, his body going limp as he lets out a puff of air, eyes slipping shut.

"Feel good, piccolo?" Tony asks in slight amusement.

All he gets as an answer is a small, jerky nod, Peter melting into the touch as Tony starts to gently run his other fingers through the soft curls around his child's ears, bushing each strand back with a gentleness one would use on a newborn.

Leaning down to press his lips against Peter's forehead, Tony just takes a second to breathe in his son's shampoo and listen to the sound of his breathing, content in the fact that he is there and safe.