How it Started
This all started when he was 9, his Aunt May and Uncle Ben bought him a camera set for Christmas and he never put it down, he brought it with him everywhere.
When he was 13, Ben encouraged him to make videos about stuff he loved. It started with video essays about Star Wars, quantum physics, Biochemistry, fast and furious, and DC superheroes. As time passed it progressed into, “vigilantes are good”, stuff about avengers, theories about aliens, and “what determines a hero”. Though he kept his science, and his movie reviewing, and his fictional superheroes. He talked about real life crisis.
And that’s when his following started to grow.
He always made vlogs, but he never posted them. He’s make vlogs of cooking, vlogs of him during the day, him having a marathon of a movie, etc. and they were cool, he’d watch them with May, and they’d laugh about stuff he did.
The vlogs started to get posted, because he’d promise his 1,000 subscribers that he’d post every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday aka days when he’s not with Mr. Stark. He stayed the weekend at Stark tower because Aunt May had to work a double and Pepper (and though he’d say otherwise, Tony as well) didn’t want Peter by himself at the apartment. So he stayed at the tower and didn’t get a chance to prerecord any of his videos.
He posted a poll and asked if they wanted him to post a vlog or wait til next week. And surprisingly they asked for a vlog. He stayed up all night trying to see which one was good enough, which one they’d actually enjoy.
He settled on a normal vlog he’d try to make but of course a bank was getting robbed. He had discard his camera, forgetting to turn it off and went to the bank. He surprisingly got a grant angle and some amazing footage. He edited his voice saying “holy shit it’s spider-man” and he posted it.
His following once again grew, they asked for more and he gave them what they asked for. He recorded a few more vlogs, more video essays, movie reaction and reviewing. And the numbers kept going up.
At lunch with Ned and MJ, he was explaining to them he was having a creative drought. And Ned happily gave him ideas, which were all great. But of course, it was MJ’s suggestion that made him sit up.
“Have you thought recording a vlog with Tony?” She asked, not looking up from her book, once.
“I-“ he thought about, yes. He thought about recording some with Bruce as well, but asking a billionaire superhero if he wanted to be on camera, felt incredibly insensitive. “I have but, how would I even ask? He doesn’t even know about the channel”
Ned turned from MJ to Peter, with a shocked look on his face. “You mean to tell me, Tony Stark doesn’t know you make videos about superheroes? Dude! You had an entire pros and cons of the ‘Accords’ and you’re telling me, you didn’t ask for his two cent?”
Now that he think about it, there were a lot of times he should’ve, and could’ve asked for Tony’s opinion on his videos, but he always went to Ned and MJ, or May, or Harley. He never thought to ask his mentor.
“No, that’s weird. Plus… I kind of looked at the documents and some meeting notes.” That’s when MJ looked up from her book. MJ does a great job at hiding her emotions, now was not one of those times.
“You went through classified information? And you’re alive?”
“Yes? I- I think so?”
“Dude!”
“I mean, is that illegal? Is the government going to come after me? It was just got s YouTube video, I didn’t spill any secrets” MJ looked truly impress and Ned looked just as terrified as Peter.
“I’m joking, loser. They’re not going to kill you… yet. And just ask Tony, I have no doubt he will say yes.” She went back to reading her book.
Just as the bell rang, Peter asked, “YET?” And without a response, MJ got up from the table and left. He looked at Ned and exclaimed “YET!”
Ned shook his head and grab his stuff. “I don’t want to hear no secrets, I would hate to die by the government.”
Peter was shook. I mean, the government can’t kill him, he heals to fast, and Tony would never let that happen. But just the thought gave him bad vibes.
• • •
“Hi, Mr. Stark,” Peter greeted as he walked into the lab and put his book-bag on his bench, ‘underoos’ engraved on the side.
“Hey kiddo” half of Mr. Stark’s body was under a car. How he got that car in the tower, Peter don’t know.
“Soo, what’d you want to do today?”
When fifteen year old Peter, had stepped in this lab for the first time, he was so awkward, it was embarrassing to think about now. It was slightly awkward for at least two days before they got into a good rhythm. Stepping into this lab with this energy, he knows, Tony knows, they’re something up with him. It’s sort of unsettling how well they know each other in less than two years.
Tony slid from under the vehicle, sitting up and narrowing his eyes at Peter back, seeing as Peter was facing the table and not him. “Kid.”
Peter nodded fiddling with his web shooters. “Yes, Mr.Stark?”
Tony sighed and wiped his hands on an oil stained towel. “Firstly, come on kid! I thought we were done with Mr.Stark, you’re too polite, it’s bothering me. Secondly, is it that flash kid? What’d he say? I know there’s a problem so you might as well come out with it now.”
Peter sighed and put the web shooter down.
How would he approach this? Confess about the YouTube channel, then the accords, then ask? Ask, then confess, then tell him about the accords… or just confess and ask. He doesn’t HAVE to know about the accords. Do he? Well, if he die then Mr. Stark know why, so he should tell him. It’s the right thing to do. Wait why is he confessing? He’s nearly an adult, if he wants to have a YouTube channel he can, it’s not like he lied. Mr. Stark just never asked about it. Right? That’s not lying by omission. Is it?
“Roo?”
He can’t do this.
“IhaveaYouTubechannelvlogwithyouaboutaccordsjustadaytodaythingyoucanbemaditsokayiunderdstandijustdontwantthegovernment to kill May.”
Tony just looked at him bemused, debating if he should run away or call the kid a therapist. “FRIDAY?” He called out to the A.I.
‘Oh shit.’ Is all Peter can think. ‘Mr. Stark is going to kick me out. I fucked up, bad. I should’ve left the accords alone.’
“Can you be a dest and replay all of that but slowly. I think I missed… all of it.”
The audio replayed, slowly yet Tony was still confused, what did may dying have to do with his YouTube channel… and the accords? What the hell.
“Peter, what the hell are you talking about? And actually breathe first, don’t chew your words”
So Peter sits down with a huff, and explains everything to Tony at a normal pace, from when he got his first camera to lunch with MJ and Ned. And surprisingly Tony says.
“I already knew about the YouTube channel. I watch all your videos, the ‘Stark Industries’ account follows you.“
Peter did indeed know that. “I thought it was my intern friends.” He confessed with a shrug.
Tony looked hurt and put his hand over his arc reactor. “Peter, are you trying to kill me? You told them before me? I can’t believe this… Get out!”
Peter just laughed him off because his mentor said that more time than he could count on all his fingers and toes. “ So, the vlog?”
“Yes Peter, I would love to make a video with you. You can tell them to ask question, and we can answer them together.”
“Deal.”