The ball is set in motion
When Peter makes it back to the labs he only has five minutes or so before his team gets there. So Peter throws himself onto the nearest project trying to act busy, he gets a few odd looks but otherwise they’re happy, he’s back and helping, by now they’re use to his weird quirks since in the days after Peter's promotion, Tony encourages Peter to go down to the intern labs for “mandatory socialising”
[guy in the chair]
DUDE!! How did Mr Harrington not see you? That was AWESOME!
[pete]
I don’t know! I thought he was about to yell at me again :(
[guy in the chair]
Same! Now everyone’s asking me if u really do have an internship?! Even tho u already told them u did!
[pete]
You just can’t help them 🤷
Just as Peter puts his phone away the elevator doors open with a small, ding making everyone in the lab turn to face them as Midtown enters looking around the room in awe.
To the left of Peter, Stacy wipes her hand on her lab coat stepping forward with a bubbly smile “Hiya Midtown, the name is Stacy I'm the intern labs manager meaning I overlook all their work and make sure they don't blow anything up!” Every time Peter sees Stacy interact with tour groups she always downplays her role at S.I. and makes herself seem less important than she really is, Stacy is the backbone of the interns at S.I. and without her everyone would be lost, at least in Peter's opinion.
“Today we will be showing you around the labs, then we’ll head to a private lab that is being generously donated to the Midtown tour so we can have a little competition in engineering. Shall we get started?” With a few nods Stacy starts taking them around the lab, giving small anecdotes and background information on what they’re looking at, while everyone nods and listens respectfully.
Peter watched as Cindy spotted him and immediately pointing him out to Betty, he watched as Abe did a double-take before giving a slight chuckle, he watched the tour guide spot him giving him a nod of greeting, he watched as MJ spotted him and smiled before paying attention to Stacy, he watched as Mr Harrington's eyes went right over him, he watched as Flash’s jaw dropped when he spotted him before a smirk took its place.
“And last but not least the private lab where we will be hosting our competition. Are there any questions?” Flash’s hand reached right into the air with a confidence peter knew wouldn't last long “yes… Mr?”
“Flash. I was just wondering if you allowed high schoolers to intern here at the labs? I mean it would be a dream come true for me” at this he made a over the top look at Peter which everyone followed, before nodding in agreement with his question.
“I don't believe we do Flash. But I have heard of Mr Stark making exceptions to truly exceptional people.” Stacy looked towards the tour guide for a look of reassurance who nodded vigorously
“Yes and we happen to have one of those interns joining us for our tour today, Mr Harley Keener” Harley gave a shy wave as everyone gaped at him.
Peter could not help himselfhe let out a small chuckle as he watched Flash’s face go from smug to irritated, which immediately brought most of the team's attention to him including Mr Harrington who looked incredibly surprised which quickly morphed into anger.
Peter watched as Mr Harrington took a step towards Peter but was stopped when Stacy cleared her throat “If that's all the questions?” she spun on her heels and stroad towards Peter's private lab reaching for the door and stopping short when the door remained closed.
Peter's enhanced sense’s picked up on her mumbled “shit” so he chuckled again before standing up and moving across the lab just as Stacy turned around to discover Peter standing near her “shall I unlock it for you Stacy?” he asked with a smile telling her he found it funny she gave a small chuckle and went to speak before being interrupted by a loud
“Mr Parker! What on earth are you telling that poor lady? and what on earth are you doing here?” Stacy immediately looked at Mr Harrington looking more confused than Peter’s ever seen her.
“What are you talking about?” Stacy asked with genuine curiosity.
“Mr Parker here was excluded from this trip due to misbehaviour and fraud. And I am deeply sorry about this but I will take him out of the building right now and”
“You will do no such thing sir! Peter happens to intern here and is graciously lending us his private lab to work in” Stacy interrupted
Peter had to make sure to ingrain both Mr Harrington’s and Flash’s faces to memory although he could always ask FRIDAY to, no doubt she already has.
He unlocked the door without fuss, before muttering an “excuse me, I have to go” which was mostly lost as Harley was cackling, “Wait Peter, I thought you could be the judge of our competition ?”
“I'm afraid I would be a bias judge Stacy after all this is MY academic decathlon team” Stacy chuckled “fair enough”
Peter beelined to Harley who continued to cackle, tears rolling down his face. Harley reached out placing a hand on Peters's shoulder opening his mouth to tell Peter something when…
“Hey Peter, maybe you could still judge. You could continue working out here but when they're finished creating you could come in and judge?” Stacy asked.
As Peter ran through that scenario in his head. It sounded great, Mr Harrington would be pissed, and it would not mess with his revenge plan too much apart from making it better.
“Sure Stacy” peter replied
“Thanks Peter, Hey maybe Harley could be your co-judge?”
“I would love to be a judge, Stacy!” Harley excitedly replied
“It's settled then. Midtown right in here please!” Stacy spoke as she ushered them inside Peter's private lab, telling Peter and Harley she’ll grab them in an hour.
Harley spun and faced Peter with a mischievous grin “So Darling, what can I help you with?”
“Uhhhh.. Y..You could help me assist the interns with their projects?” Peter suggested
“Sounds great, Darling.”
As they both got to work giving advice, helping hold something still, pointing them in the right direction, just little things to make the interns comfortable and engaged in their work.
But of course not even half an hour into the competition, Clint Barton comes grumbling out of the private lab his eyes move across Peter’s face before double taking and perking up and jogging over to where Peter had been working on an intern's idea to make the stark phone more environment friendly.
“Hii Peter, I went to surprise you and your team by jumping out of the vents but you weren't there which totally ruined my mood. Why is that by the way?” Clint looks guilty but he masterfully passed it off as curiosity, which Peter immediately called bull shit on.
“And just why were you planing to surprise me?” Peter questioned as Clint avoided eye contact GUILTY! His spider sense warned.
“Just wanted to say hi really Pete that’s all” Clint argued but Clint’s heartbeat betrayed him.
“LIES AND BLASPHEMY! Get outta here Clint, go mess around in the vent or god forbid do your job” Peter smiled as Clint laughed while ran onto the elevator doing a small salut as the doors closed in front of him.