Tony
After the horrible weekend from hell (board games AND a movie night? Really? He’s a grown man running a multi million dollar company. They really think he has time for this shit?), Tony only has two days of peace to enjoy the solitude of his lab before he has to drag himself back to civilization for his session with the kid. He even takes a shower and shaves and all that, so the kid doesn’t think he’s even more of a creep. Not that he actually cares what Peter thinks. He’s just some punk kid. But it’s best to dress to impress for everyone though. Maybe this time Peter will be impressed into silence and Tony won’t have to listen to him complain anymore. Wouldn’t that be nice.
Peter arrives right on time, followed by Happy, who looks like he’s…smiling? Weird. He’ll deal with that later. The kid on the other hand looks like he’s being led to the chopping block, just like last week. His shoulders are hunched and his feet are literally dragging across the ground, but his eyes immediately meet Tony’s in an angry glare.
“Okay, Stark. I’m here for another child soldiering session. What kind of Avengers propaganda do you have for me today?”
Peter’s head turns as he takes in his surroundings. This week looks a lot more medical and a lot less like a gym, since he had Friday deliver his guest to an area of the tower’s medical wing today.
Tony cocks his head. “I don’t remember giving you any Avengers propaganda last week. Doesn’t exactly sound like me.”
Peter just shrugs and drops his backpack down where he’s at in the middle of the hallway. “You didn’t last week, but I know it’s coming. Why else am I here?”
Tony rolls his eyes. “Listen kid, I know listening is a struggle for you, but I know we’ve been over this. It’s either me or SHIELD, and I’m the only option that isn’t full of propaganda. Take it or leave it.”
“And I’ve already told you not to call me Kid, asshole. But since I’m already here, we might as well just get this over with.” Peter replies, crossing his arms and frowning in a way that really negates every time he’s said he isn’t a kid. Tony really figured Spider-Man should’ve grown out of his baby cheeks by now.
Actually, that’s the only part of Peter’s body that looks like it has any fat on it at all. The kid is tiny. Tony’s not sure how someone can look that scrawny and still be so strong at the same time. His clothes are too short, like he’s had a growth spurt since he last got new ones, but they all hang off his frame awkwardly, with nothing but bones to keep them on.
This leads into the activities Tony has planned for them today.
“I figured since we got so much of the physical testing done last week, we could do some more health related things today.”
Peter looks concerned. “Like…you’re going to make me see a doctor?” He asks hesitantly.
“Not exactly. Pick up your stuff and follow me. Didn’t anyone teach you not to leave your things out everywhere in other peoples homes?” Tony goes to put his hand on Peter’s shoulder to steer him in the right direction, but the boy smoothly ducks under his arm and snatches up his bag from the ground, remaining a few feet away.
Tony gestures with his hand for Peter to follow him and he walks into a nearby room. The room is full of exercise and medical equipment, and a table and chairs. Tony sits down at the table and motions for Peter to sit down across from him.
Peter sits down in the chair, but not before dropping his backpack directly in the middle of the room while making very purposeful eye contact with Tony.
The man just sighs, but doesn’t reprimand him. Tony is learning to choose his battles.
“So, Steve Rogers, you may know him as Captain America, has super strength, like you, and also eats more than five times the average adult male to maintain it. I’m guessing you’re similar. How much do you need to eat every day before you feel full?” Tony asks.
Peter just scoffs as he glances around the room, looking at anything but Tony. “Is that some kind of sick joke, Stark? I’m a teenage boy in foster care. I’m never full. Wasn’t before the bite either.”
Tony can’t exactly say that he’s shocked, but he’s definitely a little saddened to hear that. Sure he doesn’t like the kid, but he’s not completely heartless. He doesn’t think he deserves to go hungry. Especially since this kid is out on the streets trying to protect civilians.
He sits back in his chair and looks at Peter thoughtfully. “How much do you get to eat at home, Pete?”
Peter shifts uncomfortably in his chair. “Just, you know, the normal breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There’s just never a lot of extra for bigger portions or anything. Most foster families are pretty poor.”
Tony just nods, unsure of what to do in this situation. He has no idea how to comfort traumatized children, especially ones who hate him and definitely don’t want his comfort. He decides to just proceed with his plan for the day.
“Well, if you don’t know how much food your body requires, I think it’s about time you found out.”
Peter rolls his eyes. “Yeah, and what exactly is that going to do for me?”
Tony stands up and gestures for Peter to follow him over to the medical equipment on the side of the room. “It’ll make it that much easier for people like me to help you, that’s what. Now, put this mask on so I won’t have to listen to your annoying voice for a while.”
Peter looks like he wants to say more, but he complies and puts on the mask.
Tony leads Peter through a series of tests with the mask on to test the air he’s expiring while doing different things, and the results are showing him exactly what he’s expecting.
He motions to Peter to get off the treadmill, and Peter pulls off the mask as he does, dropping it on the desk next to the computer Tony is working on.
Tony gestures to his computer screen as Peter comes to stand next to him. “Well, Pete, it looks like our suspicions were correct. It looks like you need around 4-5,000 calories a day just to sustain normal activities. You’d need way more than that if you’re exercising or going out as Spider-man, or injured. How on earth have you been managing on so few calories?”
Peter shrugs and crosses his arms, looking uncomfortable again with the topic of conversation. “I don’t know, I just do. It does take longer for my injuries to heal if I’m not eating so much, but it’s not like I have much of an option.”
“And I’m guessing not superhero-ing isn’t an option?” Tony asks hopefully, sighing when he only gets an angry glare in response. “No, of course not. That would just make everything far too simple.”
There’s a moment of silence before Tony voices a thought that has been on his mind. “Why do you do it, Parker? What gets you into that onesie and out fighting crime every day?”
“It is not a onesie, and it’s none of your business.” Peter replies tersely.
Tony raises his hands in defeat. “Hey, I was just curious. You seem like you’ve got your own problems, and yet you’re out almost every day putting yourself at risk for random strangers. You can’t blame me for wondering.”
Peter glances at him for a second before turning away and leaning against the wall. “It’s just…I know you’ve looked me up. I’m sure you could do it with no effort at all with your technology. You know what my life was like.”
Tony nods.
“If I can prevent that happening to another family, prevent another kid from ending up like me…then I will, every time.”
Tony tilts his head, looking at the kid thoughtfully. Maybe he was wrong about Peter Parker. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.
Peter looks back over at Tony after a moment, and notices his expression. Peter’s face immediately hardens again and he pushes himself off the wall. “You better not get used to me putting up with your idiotic questions, Stark. That was a one time thing. Let’s just move on to the next thing so I can leave.”
Well, so much for that.
“Okay,” Tony continues, leading Peter back over to the medical equipment and into a chair. “Next up I just need to get some blood samples so I can do some DNA testing. It’ll be good for us to find out more about your genetic code and what the spider changed when it bit you.”
“What will that help with?” Peter asks, willingly holding his arm out while Tony gathers supplies for the blood draw.
“Well, it’ll give us more information on your metabolism and healing. You’ve mentioned your healing is accelerated, but I’m assuming pain medication hasn’t worked since your metabolism was enhanced?”
Peter winces as Tony guides the needle into a vein in his forearm, beginning to draw out the blood. “No, it hasn’t. Are you even qualified to do this? Shouldn’t you have like a nurse or something?” Peter wonders, but he doesn’t sound nervous, just curious.
“I’ve had pretty extensive medical training for first aid on missions. It definitely includes being able to find a vein. Besides, do you really want someone ese involved and knowing your identity right now?” Tony asks as he removes the needle, replacing it with a piece of gauze. He has all the blood that he’ll need for the testing.
Peter shrugs, taking his arm back. “I guess not. So, you think you’ll be able to get me some meds that actually work?”
“Yes, I do.” Tony replies. “I won’t have them immediately. It’ll take me a while to create and synthesize the formula, but it won’t take me too long. Then, the next time you get hurt badly enough to need medical care, which I’m sure happens, you can come to the tower and we’ll have the supplies we need to help you.”
“Why would I have to come here?” Peter wonders with a slight edge to his tone. “It’s just pain medicine you’re making. Sure, it would be nice to have, but I don’t plan on coming to your tower any time I don’t have to.”
“I can’t just give a teenager super powered pain medicine, kid. I’m irresponsible, but not that irresponsible.” Tony responds with a shake of his head.
Peter is very clearly not happy with that answer. “Listen, Stark. I’ve been taking care of myself for years. I don’t need you or any of your fancy million dollar medical equipment. I’m doing just fine on my own. If you’re not going to give me the medicine, then don’t even bother making it.”
Damn, they were doing so good, too. They hadn’t argued in 10 whole minutes. That must be a new record for them.
“Listen, Pete, this isn’t an argument you’re going to win. I’m not just making pain medicine. I’m talking about anesthesia, anti-emetics, sedatives, anything you could possibly need in an emergency. If you’re injured badly enough to need medicine for it, then you’re injured enough to need real medical care, not whatever Greys anatomy copy cat shit you’re doing on your bathroom floor in the middle of the night.”
Peter scowls in a way that tells Tony he was exactly right about Peter’s usual emergency medical techniques.
“I would never come to you for help, not in a million years. I don’t trust you, and I never will.” Peter turns around to grab his backpack, and starts heading for the door.
Tony let’s him go and sends Happy a text to pick the kid up in the lobby and take him home. They finished what they needed to that day anyway. He didn’t have the energy to keep fruitlessly arguing with the kid right now. He’ll make him the medication to keep stocked in the medbay for emergencies, and hope that if something really bad happens, that Peter will change his mind.
In the meantime, he can get the kid a credit card at least, for food. This whole mentoring thing may not be going great, but he isn’t going to let the kid go hungry anymore. That’s for sure.
He’s also playing around with some ideas for a replacement for the kid’s onesie. That thing could definitely use an upgrade.
He walks to the nearest elevator and steps inside. “Lab, please, Friday.” He asks aloud.
He’s got a date with a bottle of whiskey and his tools.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Friday morning, Tony awakes abruptly on the couch in his lab, mostly drank bottle of whiskey still in his hand, hanging down near the floor. He almost drops it in surprise when he noticed what, or who he supposes, woke him up.
Pepper Potts was standing above him in all her pants suit and heels glory, looking furious.
“Miss Potts, how nice to see you. Is there a reason you’ve come all the way to my lab to see me this early in the morning?”
Pepper scoffs loudly. “It’s two in the afternoon, Mr. Stark, and I’ve come to ask why you thought it was such a brilliant idea to get your intern of 2 weeks a credit card in your name!”
Her voice gets progressively louder the longer she goes on, and it was not helping Tony’s developing headache. He uses his hand to shield his eyes from the fluorescent lights in an attempt to keep the headache at bay.
“And how would you know about that, Miss Potts? That doesn’t exactly seem like something you should be worrying about.”
“I may be CEO of your company now, but I still handle all of your paperwork, including banking information and new hires for that matter. So when you open up a new credit card linked to your accounts in the name Peter Parker, I get sent the confirmation papers, and I get understandable concerned.” Pepper replies. Tony wants to be more irritated than he is, but he’s so god damned attracted to this woman right now.
But he shouldn’t be. She can’t know that he is. She broke up with him. He has to make it look like he’s completely unaffected.
Forget about the fact that he’s currently hungover in a rumpled 3 day old suit just waking up at 2 in the afternoon after over 48 straight hours of obsessing over inanimate objects. He’s fine. Totally put together.
“Why should it be concerning that I’m looking out for my intern?” Tony asks nonchalantly.
Pepper gives him a look. “Because most sane people don’t give out credit cards to their brand new employees. Especially when said employee is 14 years old.”
Tony sits up reluctantly and puts his bottle right side up on the ground. It doesn’t look like this conversation is going to be as quick as he’d hoped.
“Have you looked into this kid at all, Pep? Do you know anything about him?” Tony asks, not unkindly.
“Of course I have, and it only makes me wonder why you’ve hired him more.”
Pepper stares at him for a moment before her eyes widen, like she’s had a thought.
“Wait a minute…no way…is Peter Parker your son?!” She asks loudly, looking shocked. “It would all make so much sense! The timeline would match up perfectly! I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”
Tony stands up quickly in front of her, almost falling over with a wave of dizziness, but manages to stay upright. “No, Pep, definitely not. Peter is in no way my son. He’s just some kid, I promise.”
Pepper looked disbelieving. “Are you lying to me right now? You would tell me if you found out you had a kid somewhere, right?”
“Cross my heart.” Tony replies. “If i find out I have a kid from years ago that no one has told me about, I will tell you. But it’s not Peter. He’s just a kid that I found that I’m trying to help.”
“Okay, then what about the credit card?” She asks.
“The kid’s in foster care and he told me the other day that he doesn’t get enough to eat at home. I thought I would do a nice thing, and take him under my wing, so to speak. That includes making sure he has access to food.”
Pepper scrunches her eyebrows in thought, or maybe confusion. “Wow, that’s actually…very thoughtful of you, Tony.”
Wow, that got him a “Tony” instead of “Mr. Stark”. Who would’ve guessed Pepper would have a soft spot for orphaned teenagers.
“But you still better be a good influence while he’s around you, and that means no drinking. That poor kid has been through enough. He doesn’t need you teaching him your bad habits.” She snaps, right back to perfect professionalism.
“I don’t drink while Peter is here, Pep. Scouts honor.” He promises, holding up his right hand.
“You we’re never a Boy Scout. That means nothing. I’ve got to get back to work. You try to behave for the rest of the day.” She turns to leave, and he salutes her as she walks out the door.
He thinks that went rather well.