Chapter 1
Tony Stark stayed seated, a hand against his temple, his other hand holding onto a cup of whiskey as Peter Parker walked in, shaking his head. Tony’s eyes were shrouded in darkness as he brooded.
Peter sighed. “What’s going on now, Mr. Stark?” He approached Mr.Stark slowly. “Ms. Potts called me over saying you had something to talk to me about.”
Peter was nervous. Going by Mr. Stark’s depressed and dark aura, the subject was at hand was a very serious and important matter. Not to mention, Peter had been called out of school for this.
Mr. Stark finally turned to look at Peter, his eyes angry and annoyed. “I’m hosting a charity event for the homeless.”
Peter stilled in shock. This was not what he had imagined. What he had in mind was more along the lines of the world ending or a great catastrophe that determined the fate of the world, not a charity event. Did Mr. Stark, perhaps, hate the homeless?
Peter tilted his head. “And that’s so bad because…,” he prompted, stretching out his words.
Mr. Stark turned to him scandalized, as if finding him crazy for not being able to see what was so wrong with the situation.
“I’m hosting it alongside Bruce Wayne.” He spat out the words with such venom. He even gritted his teeth in anger.
Peter couldn’t help but burst into laughter in amusement. “That’s it? Seriously? This is what was so important I had to miss school?”
“It’s not funny, kid.” He glared at Peter half heartedly. “There’s only enough room in this world for one billionaire hero. Wayne and Queen can go die in a ditch.”
Peter rolled his eyes.
“It’s not like the world knows there’s more than one billionaire hero, Mr. Stark. As far as they know, you’re the only billionaire hero in their hearts.”
Mr. Stark stood up from his seat quickly, a crazed look coming to cover his face.
“But I know,” he said, his eyes widening in madness. Peter stared in unamusement while actually being amused at the same time.
“And as long as I know, I will not be satisfied.”
Peter leaned back, a hand on his hip as he gazed at Mr. Stark while shaking his head slightly in disbelief. Mr. Stark was obsessed with this topic, there was no way Peter was going to be able to change his mind. Peter decided to give up on the idea and focus on something else instead.
“And where do I come in this.” He questioned, an eyebrow raised.
Mr. Stark looked away awkwardly before turning back to him, his award winning smile as bright as ever as he turned up to a thousand and directed it at him.
“Wayne is apparently bringing his bunch of children to the event. Of course, as the other host, I can’t fall behind.” He grinned this time in mischief. “You’ll be joining me, Underoos.”
Peter’s mouth gaped open, deciding to ignore the implication behind him being chosen as Mr. Stark’s equivalent of Bruce Wayne’s children. Peter was emotionally constipated just like Mr. Stark but he wasn’t as constipated as him. Peter, unlike Mr. Stark, could at least admit to his emotional constipation. Mr. Stark, on the other hand, could not.
Peter’s head shook erratically. “No no no no. They’ll tear me apart,” Peter said, his face scrunched into horror. “I won’t survive.” His voice rose in pitch as he spoke, his voice eventually breaking towards the end.
Mr. Stark patted him in the back. “Don’t worry, Underoos. You’ve done this before.” He grabbed Peter by the shoulders and turned him around. “Come on, the tailor’s been waiting for you.”
All Peter could do was drag his feet and protest weakly as he pulled and led away, his fate sealed shut.
Peter pulled at his collar causing the tailor to smack his hand away as she continued to measure him. Peter pulled his hand away quickly and tried to keep still to let the woman do her job.
Mr. Stark sat on a couch, leaning his head against his hand with his legs splayed out before him. He was the perfect image of relaxation, nowhere near the image he had shown earlier.
He sighed. “Don’t worry, Pete. Rhodes will be attending the event and Happy will be with you constantly when he can. It’ll be like every other time.”
Peter almost tugged at his collar again but one glare from the tailor and he stopped dead in tracks. His hand lowered slowly and he tried not to slump. He’d already made that mistake.
“I know,” he shifted slightly. “I just always get anxious when I have to attend these events.” Peter raised his eyes to look at Mr. Stark, sending him a pointed look. “It doesn’t help that you’re pitting me against the Wayne kids.”
Mr. Stark raised his hands in surrender. “You don’t have to fight them. Your only job will be to just stand there and look pretty. That’s it.”
“Ms. Potts is prettier than me,” he mumbled.
“Pepper’s too busy for it,” Mr. Stark responded, shaking his head.
He hummed thoughtfully. “Tell you what. I’ll give you extra time in the lab and you get to choose the next project we work on together.”
Jackpot. Peter wanted to grin but held himself back. This was what he wanted but if Mr. Stark found out then Peter’s privileges would go down the drain. Instead, Peter’s head snapped up, his mopey eyes immediately gone and donning on the very image of innocence.
“Thanks, Mr. Stark.”
“No problem, kid.”
Dick Grayson leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed as he stared at Bruce Wayne. Said man was currently preoccupying himself with paperwork, his pen moving speedily as he attempted to ignore Dick.
Dick, however, was having none of it.
“So tell me now,” he started off. “Why’d you accept to host that charity event if Tony Stark was going to be your co-host?”
Bruce’s pen paused and he stared down, stubbornly maintaining his gaze downward and still looking at his work as he replied to Dick.
“I was not aware-”
Dick scoffed, uncrossing his arms and moving to take a seat in front of Bruce.
“Come on, Bruce, we both know you double check and triple check that stuff. Don’t try to lie to me now.”
Bruce finally turned to look at Dick.
“I am the best billionaire hero,” he said, his voice as impassive and inexpressive as always.
Dick burst out laughing, his laughter reaching new heights to the point that he had to hold his stomach from the pain of laughing too hard. Once he was able to calm down and face Bruce’s unamused face, he couldn’t help but wheeze.
This situation was too funny. To Dick, Bruce was being a petulant and whiny child throwing a tantrum right now. The Bruce Wayne. The media would have a field storm with this one. And to imagine this all caused by one Tony Stark.
Dick shook his head in an attempt to get rid of the last dying embers of laughter.
“So,” he drawled out. “How much are you paying the others to attend the event and one up Stark’s pseudo son?”
Bruce shifted in his seat, deciding to fix his suit as he leaned back.
“They are attending of their own volition-“
“Bruce.”
Dick raised his eyebrows at him, giving Bruce his best unimpressed look he could manage. Dick had been able to refine it over the years.
“As you know, Cass and Steph are on vacation so they were indisposed for this mission.” He ignored the way Dick snickered. A “mission” he said. “Tim has accepted to attend, as has Damian, and Duke is still too uncomfortable with such gatherings so he has declined the offer. Jason,” he paused. “He will be attending for the free food.”
Dick couldn’t help but grin. Typical Jason.
“What’s their payment?”
Bruce remained silent but at Dick’s insistent raised eyebrows he finally cracked.
“Their allowance will be raised to six hundred dollars for this month.”
Dick let out a low whistle before grinning impishly.
“Alfred said I was invited,” he sing-songed.
Bruce leaned his head against his intertwined hands, his elbows on his desk as he stared determinedly at Dick.
“Anything to prove I’m a better billionaire hero than Tony Stark.”
Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark were on stage giving a speech while poorly concealing their heated glares toward each other.
“I’m so glad I’m able to co-host this event with Brucie Wayne,” Tony said, sarcasm Charley dripping from his every word.
He raised his wine cup up for a toast.
Bruce ground his teeth, his smile so fakingly sweet that he looked to be on the verge of a stroke. “Oh, believe me, I’m oh so very glad as well.”
Bruce turned to look at the audience. “In fact, I’m so happy that I’ll donate an extra thirty thousand dollars from my initial fifty thousand.”
“I can’t let you do that,” Tony said. “I’ll donate an extra fifty thousand.”
His fake sweet smile was at full blast.
“No no no, then I’ll donate sixty thousand.”
“No, impossible, I’ll donate…”
Peter leaned against the bar’s counter while enjoying the angry dispute between the two billionaires in front of hundreds of people. None of them were aware of the burning hatred they held for each other, making the situation even funnier than it already was.
Tim stood right next to him.
“How long do you think this’ll go on,” he said, flicking his head to the two angry men on stage.
Peter grinned. “The event organizer is already heading over to dispel the one upping.”
Peter frowned in disappointment but quickly moved on.
“Do you think they know we were the instigators?” Tim grinned mischievously, looking over at Peter.
“You mean the masterminds?” Peter responded in kind, his smile that of an angel of death.
“Duke would be so proud.” Tim pretended to wipe away a nonexistent tear.
This was the best evil plan they could have concocted together.
Tony Stark and Bruc Wayne Found to be Sharing Passionate Gazes, Could This Be A Sign To Something More Smexy Going On Behind the Scenes?
At the recent charity event co-hosted by Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark, they were found exchanging very passionate glances. For a long time now, there’s been talks of the two having a secret relationship, especially given the fact that Tony Stark has not been seen with Pepper Potts lately…
Tony slammed his tablet down on the table, his expression thunderous as he stood.
“Pepper’s just too busy dealing with Stark Industries to have the time to attend such fancy parties,” he cried out in outrage, turning to look at Peter from his position.
“Who would even believe such nonsense?”
Peter simply snickered from his seat on the couch.