<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#99ff99">"Thank you, Nurse," Tony murmured -- probably not loud enough for her to hear as she walked away, but he meant it anyway.<br/>
<br/>
He guided Peter into the small consultation room.  "You don't get to apologize for having emotions, kid.  That's not how it works.  I meant it, about letting it go.  It's healthy or some shit, that's what people keep telling me."  He pushed two chairs together and maneuvered Peter into one of them, taking the seat next to him and immediately pulling the boy close to him.  "A long time ago -- when I was a little older than you, but not by much -- I lost the last person I thought could ever care about me."  Tony brushed his fingers over Peter's forehead, smoothing the hair away from his face.  "I couldn't cry.  There was nobody to cry with," he added softly, aware that he was showing more of his inner self to this boy than he ever had before.  "He was only my butler, you see -- I wasn't supposed to hurt that bad."<br/>
<br/>
Tony shifted to pulled Peter tighter to him.  "You -- you're allowed to cry for May, and you don't have to do it alone.  JARVIS is keeping an eye on photos taken in the building, and anything that looks hinky is being eaten by a very clever virus.  People who tweet or Facebook about seeing Tony Stark here are developing strange hardware problems."  It was unethical and probably immoral, but Tony didn't care.  Not when it came to Peter.  "Nothing here is going to cause me problems, kid -- and even if it did, I'd handle it.  You know I'm a genius -- I can handle anything."<br/>
<br/>
He tucked the boy's head back under his chin, hoping Peter didn't notice the kiss he brushed over his hair.  "Pep and Nat are working on the paperwork so I can take you home with me, okay?  As soon as we -- as soon as we talk to somebody about what needs to be taken care of for your aunt, I'll take you home and Bruce can feed you something, and we'll... we'll muddle along, alright?  It isn't easy and it isn't okay but Peter -- I swear you're not going to have to do it alone."</span></span>