Peter Parker Oneshots

The late afternoon sun had long dipped behind the skyline of Manhattan, casting Stark Tower in a golden glow. Inside the tower, Tony Stark sat at the lab’s central console, surrounded by holographic displays, diagnostic readouts, and his latest sketches for arc technology improvements. The peace of the moment, the kind where he could focus on his work without the demands of the world outside, felt like a luxury.

“J.A.R.V.I.S., bring up the latest scan of the arc reactor,” Tony said with a slight groan, bringing his arms up above his head to stretch.

“Yes, sir. Displaying now,” J.A.R.V.I.S. responded, and a rotating 3D model of the reactor hovered before him.

In the far corner of the lab, Peter Parker worked quietly at his own station, wearing his familiar and worn Midtown High hoodie. Tony had long since stopped asking Peter if he was going back to Queens tonight. It was clear the kid had practically moved in, and Tony didn’t mind. He liked having Peter around. The kid’s sharp mind and natural talent for tech made him a perfect lab partner, even if Peter was seemingly oblivious to how much Tony had come to see him as something more than just a protégé.

“Hey Pete, how’s the web-fluid upgrade going?” Tony asked without turning, his focus still on the complicated array of shimmering tech before him.

Peter’s fingers audibly hesitated on the keyboard for a second before he responded, “I’m almost done. I think I’ve found a way to make it stick to non-organic surfaces better. Should help when I’m in tight spots, you know, like when I’m chasing those guys with those crazy advanced weapons.”

Tony chuckled. “Nice. Always thinking ahead.” Not expecting a response, they fell back into companionable silence. Sadly, a warning beep from J.A.R.V.I.S. soon interrupted the calm.

“Sir, I am detecting an encrypted transmission." Tony's hands stilled, but only for a moment.

"Come on, honeypie, you've got to give me more than that. Origin? And of what kind?" He spouted off at the AI. An unusual moment of silence followed, almost like the AI was hesitating.

"As requested, sir. The source appears to be affiliated with the Ten Rings.”

The sound of that name briefly froze Tony in place. The Ten Rings were supposed to stay a part of his past—a dark chapter that had almost taken everything from him. He slowly turned to Peter, who had already stood up from his workstation, the mention of the Rings enough to put them both on edge.

“Show me,” Tony said firmly.

The holographic displays shifted, revealing a sort of incoming message. A grainy video feed appeared, showing a man seated in a dark room. His face was obscured, but his voice was cold and unmistakable. Stark huffed, Slattery was at it again. As if last time hadn't been enough of a warning.

“Stark,” the man said, “You thought you could escape us. You thought we’d fade into obscurity after you 'broke' us. But the Ten Rings never forget. Our arrival is immanent, and your demise sure. You have one hour. Prepare your best men, so that we may watch them fall.”

The feed cut off abruptly, leaving a hollow silence in the lab. Tony clenched his fists, staring at the blank screen. This was more than a threat. This was personal.

“They’re bluffing,” Tony muttered, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his voice. “They always are. I’ve got security systems that'll deal with anything they throw at us.”

Peter, who had been watching Tony closely, spoke up. “What if they’re not? Mr. Stark, I don’t think we should underestimate them. You know how these guys operate, you even have experience—they go underground, stay quiet, then strike hard when you least expect it.” He trailed off for a moment, a light blush appearing on his cheeks as though embarrassed to reveal he knew anything about Tony's past. "... At least, from what I've read." Tony turned to him, seeing the serious look on Peter’s face. He'd never admit this to anyone (save possibly the kid), but Peter was always quick to spot the details Tony might overlook. It wasn’t just his powers that made him as incredible as he was; it was his ability to process information rapidly, to see every angle. Admittedly, Stark had come to rely on Peter’s insights, and right now, he knew the kid had a point. Again, he'd never admit it to anyone but his kid. Video evidence from J.A.R.V.I.S. be damned.

“You’re right,” Tony admitted. “J.A.R.V.I.S., lock down the tower. Engage all defense systems.”

“Already in progress, sir,” J.A.R.V.I.S. replied calmly. The nerve of that bot. Peter paced to the window, gazing out at the city below. His mind was already racing with possibilities, different strategies they could use if the Ten Rings really were coming. He had been through enough missions with Tony to know that plans never stayed intact, but they still needed a starting point.

“We need to be ready for anything,” Peter said, his voice steady. “They’re not just going to come in with guns blazing. They’ll try something bigger.”

Tony nodded, his mind already running through contingency plans. “I’ll have the suits ready. If they get past the tower defenses, we’ll deal with them. You stick close to me. Got it?”

Peter nodded but didn’t sit back down. Something wasn’t adding up in his head. His spider-sense had been quiet, but his gut told him this wasn’t going to be an expectable attack. It felt too well-timed, too calculated. Most likely, the video had been a means to divert their attention to preparations instead of an actual infiltration attempt... Just as he was about to voice his thoughts, the tower trembled. An explosion erupted from the lower levels, the shockwave vibrating through the floor. The lights flickered for a moment before the emergency backups kicked in.

“They’re already here!” Peter shouted, sprinting to Tony’s side.

Tony’s expression hardened. He tapped his wristwatch, and the nanotech suit began to cover his body, the familiar red and gold armor assembling in a matter of seconds. “J.A.R.V.I.S., activate the sentry drones and alert security. No one gets in.”

Peter didn’t need any more encouragement. He pulled his mask from his pocket and slipped it on, feeling the familiar confidence that came with the Spider-Man suit as he tapped his own watch and the familiar fabric enveloped him.

“They’ll try to get to the core systems,” Peter said quickly, “If they take control of the power grid, the whole tower’s compromised.”

Tony glanced at Peter, delighted by how quickly he was always thinking. “Good call. Let’s head to the server room. If we can secure that, they’ll be cut off.”

They moved quickly, sprinting down the corridors of the tower. The sound of distant gunfire echoed through the building, along with the occasional explosion as the infiltrating operatives clashed with Tony’s automated (and not, but it's not like the engineer would ever admit to Fury that S.H.I.E.L.D's agents were actually helpful) defenses.

As they neared the server room, Peter’s spider-sense finally flared to life. He reached out instinctively, webbing the ceiling and launching himself forward just as a group of heavily armed mercenaries rounded the corner. Tony, raising his arm, fired a repulsor blast, knocking the nearest one off his feet. Peter was in the air, flipping over the men with practiced ease. He webbed two of their guns away before they could react and sent a web line toward the ceiling, yanking himself up to avoid a flurry of bullets. Mid-air, he fired off more webs, pinning the attackers to the ground.

“Nice work, kid,” Tony said, stepping past the now immobilized soldiers.

“Just trying to keep up,” Peter quipped, landing beside Tony.

They reached the server room and found it surprisingly intact, but Peter’s senses were still on high alert. He moved to the main console, his fingers flying over the holographic controls as he worked to secure the building’s systems.

“They’re trying to cut off external power sources,” Peter said. “But I’ve got a bypass ready. Should keep them locked out for now.”

Tony watched Peter work, impressed by the speed and precision with which he handled the tower’s complex systems. “You’re a natural, you know that? And that's ME saying that. Tony Stark, tech genius. You should be like, bowing right now.” Sarcasm was always a good cover for any real sentiment, and he hoped Peter would see through it.

Peter shrugged, not looking up. “I’ve had a good teacher.”

Before Tony could stop sputtering enough to properly respond, the door to the server room burst open. A figure strode in, taller and more imposing than the simple footmen they had faced earlier. He wore some sort of Iron-Man copycat armor, his face hidden behind a mask that bore the insignia of the Ten Rings. In his hand was a long staff, cylindrical at both ends, glowing with an eerie blue light.

“Stark,” the figure growled, “It’s over.”

Peter’s spider-sense went wild. Without hesitation, he lunged at the attacker, webbing his arm to try to disarm him. But this one was faster than the others—stronger too. He somehow ripped free of the webbing and swung his staff toward Tony. Peter moved on instinct, diving in front of his father-figure just as the weapon fired. A searing blast of energy hit him square in the chest, sending him crashing into the wall. He frantically pried open his eyes, searching desperately.

“Peter!” Tony shouted, his voice filled with a scarily unfiltered panic.

Peter lay on the ground, gasping for breath, his body screaming in pain. He forced himself to his feet, his vision blurry as he staggered forward.

“I’m… fine,” Peter managed to say, even though he wasn’t sure he believed it himself. He’d taken harder hits before, but something about that blast had really knocked him off-balance. He shook off the dizziness and pushed through the pain. His mentor needed him.

Tony, meanwhile, was locked in a brutal fight with the attacker, repulsor blasts flying, but the armored man was well-protected and powerful. It was clear that the armor in his possession was closer to the Iron-Man armor than Tony would've liked. Peter’s mind raced. He couldn’t just rush in blindly, this was not a foe to be impulsive with. He had to think. He had to find a weak spot. Then he saw it—the power source in the man’s chestplate. It was exposed for only a second during a heavy swing of his weapon, but Peter caught it. Yet another striking similarity to his mentor's creation. With a burst of speed, Peter shot a web at the attacker’s chest, yanking him off balance. In the same motion, he swiftly threw his leg out to the side, landing a kick that knocked the strange stick from the man’s hands. Thankfully, Stark seized the opportunity, blasting the chestplate with a focused beam. The attacker fell to the ground, his armor smoking. Peter staggered back, clutching his side where the blast had hit him, but he still managed to smile.

“Nice shot, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, his voice weak but filled with relief.

Tony was by his side in an instant, helping to steady him. “You okay, kid?”

Peter nodded, though he was clearly in pain. “Yeah. Just… need a minute.”

His mentor looked at him, his expression softening. He had seen Peter take hits before, but this time was different. This time, Peter had taken a shot meant for him.

“Kid… you didn’t have to do that,” Tony said quietly, his voice tight with rare emotion.

Peter shrugged, wincing slightly. “You would’ve done the same for me.”

Tony smiled, though there was a sadness in his eyes. “Yeah, I would’ve. But that doesn’t mean you need to get yourself killed.”

Peter was leaned against the wall now, his breathing heavy. “Not planning on it. You’re stuck with me.”

Tony chuckled, but his gaze lingered on the kid, the weight of what had just happened still trying to sink in. Peter had saved his life, again. But more than that, Peter had risked everything because Tony mattered to him—not just as a mentor, clearly, but maybe even as... as family.

“Come on, let’s get you patched up,” Tony said, putting a hand on Peter’s shoulder, coughing slightly to hide the wetness that had gathered in his eyes.

Peter grinned, despite the pain. “Sounds good, Mr. Stark.”

They left the server room after calling Fury for a clean-up team, and made their way to the medbay. Even though Tony might not be getting much sleep tonight, he was certainly going to stay by the kid's side no matter what; With a fond sigh, he knew for a fact that his kid would do the same.