Tony
Tony leaves Peter as the curb of his apartment feeling…odd. The kid just apologized to him, and he sounded like he meant it. Tony hasn’t known him very long, but he can’t imagine Peter is the type to apologize much for his actions. And then, Tony had apologized back, which is equally ridiculous. And now he felt weirdly good, especially since he hasn’t had a drink in almost 24 hours. Something he was planning on rectifying.
Thirty minutes later, he’s in his glorious penthouse suite at the top of his tower, drink in hand. He feels better already, even after a few sips. The nausea and headache that were beginning are easing up, and his shaking has lessened.
Although, he doesn’t like that Peter knows that he’s an alcoholic. That kid’s enhanced senses seem like they pick up everything. Tony is going to have to watch for that in the future.
As much as he wants to just relax and drink himself into the oblivion tonight, he just can’t seem to get that stupid kid out of his head. He goes down to the lab where he’s been putting together the surprise he promised Peter: a new super hero suit to replace his flimsy spandex onesie he’s been wearing around.
This was another thing he hasn’t been able to quit thinking about. He can’t get Spider-Man’s webbing exactly right. He’s tried a bunch of different combinations, and he’s come very close, but he just can’t seem to get the right combination of sticky, and stretchy, and with that insane tensile strength. Pete refused to tell him where he gets it from when Tony had asked, but after today, maybe the kid will be a little more willing to talk to him.
He likes to think he’s gained some little bit of trust.
Although it looked like the kid had taken to the others just fine, especially Bruce. Tony scoffs to himself. He’s honesty surprised Peter didn’t ask for Banner to mentor him instead when Tony had offered to get him someone different earlier today. What did the kid see in Bruce that he doesn’t see in Tony? Was Tony actually getting jealous because some random child likes Bruce better than him? Yeah, a little bit.
Peter was definitely more enthusiastic about meeting Bruce then Tony had expected. He definitely didn’t think Peter was a science nerd, especially with the way the kid treated him. If Peter was interested in science, then why wasn’t he excited to meet Tony? He’s just as good at science as Bruce! That’s why they’re the science bros!
Maybe he was only interested in gamma radiation research? He said he’s read a few of Bruce’s research papers, and he even said it’s been a few years. Tony would be shocked if Peter told him he read the papers last week, let alone when he was 11 or younger. That was really complex scientific research, even for a college student or even a professional. Tony knows for a fact that Peter struggles in school. The kid hates it, and his grades are horrible. Tony has seen them.
But maybe…Tony has a theory.
He pulls up a computer screen at his lab desk.
“Hey Fri, pull up all of Peter’s school records, will you dear?”
Instantly, all of the information he was looking for is right in front of him.
He kind of skimmed through this before he met Peter for the first time, just to see what he was getting into, but he never really looked into it in depth. And wow is there a lot. Peter really has a knack for getting in trouble it seems.
There are about 10 different schools listed just since he was placed into foster care a few years ago. Every school has a long list of infractions and punishments, and then the reason Peter switched schools. Some have listed that he was moved to a different school, Tony assumes because he had to move foster homes, but he was expelled from multiple as well.
Tony starts skimming through Peter’s list of crimes. Plenty of fights, none that ended in more than just some bruises and hurt egos. Detentions for talking back to teachers. Using his phone in class.
And…oh…this is interesting.
Peter was expelled from a school last year for multiple instances of stealing from his school’s chemistry lab.
Tony goes back further to middle school, before Peter’s aunt and uncle were killed and he was placed in foster care.
His grades were perfect. Better than perfect, actually. Peter was taking high school level classes when he was still in middle school, and still getting perfect grades. This kid was really smart, and Tony hadn’t noticed. He hadn’t even bothered to check.
Tony needs to do something about this ASAP.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
By the time Wednesday afternoon rolls around, Tony is prepared. And, on top of that, he hasn’t had a drop to drink since last night. It’s not that he feels like he needs to quit, but now that he knows Peter can tell when he’s been drinking, it just feels weird. He’s gotten some medication to dull the symptoms of his withdrawals, and he figures he’ll just be sober on Wednesdays when he knows Peter is coming.
He can’t believe he’s actually looking forward to seeing the little punk. Not that he would ever let Peter know that. The kid is irritating enough.
He decides to meet them in the garage instead of letting Happy bring him up to the floor. He wants to be the one to bring Peter up today. And this kid better even more excited than he was when he met Bruce last weekend.
He’s only waiting a few minutes before he sees Happy pull in. He gets on his phone so he looks like he’s doing something really important when Peter gets out of the car.
“What are you doing down here, Stark?”
Tony looks up, feigning mild surprise at seeing Peter in front of him, and slips his phone back into his pocket.
“Well, I believe my name being on the front of the building gives me the right to go anywhere here that I please, don’t you think?” He asks back.
Peter just scowls at him. Oh well. He’ll cheer up when he sees what Tony has to show him.
“I’ll take it from here, Hap.” He says to his friend who’s standing behind Peter.
“You got it, boss.” Happy replies with a nod. “I’ll see you later, Pete.” Happy says to Peter with a smile, waving as he walks away.
“Bye Happy! See you tonight!” Peter exclaims cheerily before turning back to Tony.
There’s an awkward pause as Happy walks away, where Peter just stares at him, waiting.
“So…you said you had a surprise for me?” The boy asks, sounding cautious.
“Indeed I do.” Tony replies. “Right this way, Mr. Parker.” He gestures with his hand towards the elevator, and lets Peter walk in first.
“Lab, Friday.” Tony commands.
Peter glances towards him curiously, but doesn’t say anything.
In just a few seconds, Friday is opening their elevator doors into Tony’s lab. He starts walking, figuring Peter will be one step behind him, waiting to berate him for something, but stops when he realizes the kid isn’t following.
He turns around to see Peter only one step out of the elevator, looking around in awe at the sights around him. Tony loves his lab. It’s his favorite floor of his entire tower, but he didn’t think it would be that impressive to look at from someone else’s perspective. Clearly he was wrong, as Peter was captivated. It looks like his suspicions about Peter being a secret nerd are correct. He watched the boy reach out and gently run his fingers over one of the tables.
Tony clears his throat, snapping Peter out of his fog and causing him to flinch back away from the desk he was touching.
“Sorry, sir.” The boy says immediately, hands entwining behind his back and his eyes dropping to the floor submissively. Tony really doesn’t know how to respond to that. He’s never seen Peter submissive before. He doesn’t think he likes it.
“Uh, it’s okay, Pete. Why don’t I show you around the lab for a bit before we get to your surprise? And don’t call me sir. It makes me feel like an old man.”
Peter blushes and takes his hands back out from behind his back, scowling once he realizes what he did, expression immediately turning from one of embarrassment to an angry scowl.
“Fine, I guess I’ll look at your dumb lab if you’re that desperate to show it off.” The boy responds nonchalantly.
Tony motions Peter forwards and starts walking.
He takes Peter around his entire floor, showing him around and explaining what every area is used for. The kid doesn’t really say much, but Tony can see his eyes light up whenever they come upon something really interesting.
“And this,” Tony announces as they return to the main area, “is where I do most of my work. A few of my current projects are sitting out right now. Over there is my pile of Avengers gear that needs fixed or upgraded.”
Peter looks around, clearly intrigued, but keeps his arms firmly crossed across his chest, as if he’s afraid he’ll accidentally break something.
“Wait here for a second, Pete.” Tony says as he goes to his storage room next door and grabs a large metal briefcase, before bringing it back out to the kid. He puts in on the table closest to him.
“What’s that?” The boy asks suspiciously.
Tony gestures towards it with his hand. “Open it and find out.”
Peter glanced back towards Tony for a second, like he expects the man to take back the permission like it was some kind of prank, before walking towards it slowly.
As soon as Peter puts his hands on the case, there’s an electronic whir and it pops open an inch. Peter pulls the top open the rest of the way and Tony hears an audible gasp.
Peter gingerly takes the red and blue suit out of the case and lets it open up all the way.
“Holy shit…this is for me?” The kid asks.
“No it’s for my other red and blue spider themed protege.” Tony responds sarcastically, but it doesn’t have any bite to it. “Yeah, Pete, it’s for you.”
Peter doesn’t respond. He’s still just staring at the suit in amazement.
“Why don’t you go try it on?” Tony asks. “You remember where the bathroom is down here?”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Stark!” Peter replies excitedly, a wide smile on his face, before hurrying out to door towards the restroom.
Tony chuckles to himself. It seems like Peter forgets to be a little shit when you get him excited enough about something.
Way faster than Tony thought was even possible, Peter comes bounding back into the room in his new suit.
“This is so awesome, Mr. Stark! Like, really. Wow.” Peter is practically skipping around the room.
“Do you want to try it out? We can go back to the gym I showed you the first week. No one has access to that except for the team.” Tony asks.
“Of course!” The boy exclaims. “Can we go right now??”
Tony chuckled. “Sure thing, Pete. Whatever you want. You’ll have to use your own webs though. I had Friday scan your webshooters and build the same cartridge system into the suit, so it’s all interchangeable.”
Just a few minutes later, Tony is sitting on a bench in the gym, watching Peter swing around and do all kinds of flips and spins midair. He has to admit, the kid is pretty good.
Once Peter got enough excited energy out, he lands next to Tony again and pulls his mask off.
“So, how was the test run? You like it? Tony asks him as he sits down next to him on the bench.
“Definitely, Mr. Stark. It feels perfect.” Peter answers with a smile.
“The material was tricky. I had to find the right combination of flexibility and strength. It should be resistant to most weapons, except for bullets. And note I said resistant, not proof.”
Peter nods, listening intently.
“Now, just so you know, I would never track you without you knowing it. This suit does contain a tracker and the capabilities to turn it on when you’re in danger. It won’t be on all the time, but if you get injured enough to need actual medical assistance, the suit will send me a signal so I know to come help you.”
That definitely put a damper on Peter’s excitement. The boy went from looking absolutely ecstatic to looking disappointed very quickly, but he didn’t argue.
“Next order of business, your webs. Where did you say you get them from?” Tony asks casually.
Peter looks away. “Oh…well…I get them from…uh..”
“Rhetorical question.” Tony interrupts. “I know you make them.”
Peter looks away dejectedly. “How’d you find out?”
“Oh, educated guess based on your grades in middle school and the amount of times you’ve gotten in trouble the last few years for stealing supplies from your chemistry labs at school.”
Peter scowls at him. “Why are you snooping through my school records, Stark?”
“Why are you so afraid of being smart, Parker?” Tony fires back.
“I am not!” Peter says, still refusing to make eye contact.
“Not smart? Or not hiding it? Because I have good reasons to believe that you’re both.” Tony answers, trying to come across a little more gently to avoid another full blown argument.
Peter shuffles his feet on the ground. “I dunno Mr. Stark. After I went into foster care, it just didn’t matter anymore. What good does being smart get you? Maybe a scholarship to college if you have the time and energy to put the work in and get to stay at a school for long enough to actually make some connections and somehow also participate in extra curriculars that always cost money that you don’t have and you get lucky enough to actually get chosen when the time comes. All being smart gets you when you’re in my situation is bullied, which foster kids deal with enough as is.”
Tony looks down at the kid, speechless. He knew life was rough for these kids, but Peter literally gave up on his whole future in middle school. Kids shouldn’t have to deal with that.
“I feel like maybe I could help you with this, if you want me to.” Tony offers.
Peter looks up at him, suspicious but also a little hopeful. “What kind of help?”
“Well, when I was delving into your records, figuring out that you were a secret little genius, I found your friend Ted that you’re always talking about, and saw that he goes to Midtown School of Science and Technology. A great school for little science nerds like yourself. You wouldn’t get bullied there for your intelligence, and I could get you in pretty easily.”
Peter doesn’t look grateful like Tony anticipated. He just looks confused.
“Why are you trying so hard to help me?” He asks after a moment.
“Look, kid,”
Peter stops him with a glare.
“Peter,” Tony corrects himself. “As your government appointed super hero mentor,”
Peter huffs a laugh.
“I’ve been tasked by SHIELD to ensure that Spider-Man is successful. Hence the credit card for food that you still haven’t used. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
Peter rolls his eyes. “But giving me food makes sense. I can’t protect people as well if I’m hungry. Making sure I like my high school isn’t a Spider-Man thing, it’s a Peter thing.”
“Peter, you and Spider-Man are one and the same. You don’t become a different person when you put on the suit. You’re still Peter.”
“It sure feels like it sometimes.” Peter mumbles to himself. Tony chooses to ignore that for now.
“Seriously, Pete. I’m pretty invested at this point, and SHIELD will have my ass if I mess up, so I need you to let me help you. Take the suit, use the card, and let me handle this whole school thing.”
Peter stares out into the gym and ponders what Tony said for a minute before responding.
“I’ll take the suit and the card, but we can’t do the school.”
Tony let’s put an exasperated sigh. “And why not?”
“Because Bill and Diane would never go for it. It would probably be expensive and a lot of extra work for them to switch my school, and I don’t want to make them do that. I’m enough of a burden already.” Peter answers dejectedly, staring at the ground.
“They wouldn’t have to do anything, Pete. I’ll handle the expenses and the paperwork and everything. They would just have to sign some forms I’m sure.” Tony tries to convince him, but Peter is shaking his head, already having made up his mind.
“No, I just…can’t. Trust me, it would be a lot more involved than that. They don’t actually have the ability to decide my school. They would have to bring it up with my social worker and there would be meetings and stuff about it. Thanks for trying to help me, Mr. Stark, but I can’t accept that.”
Tony sighs, knowing he won’t be able to convince the kid right now. He’ll try again another time.
“Okay, fine.” Tony stands and starts walking to the elevator, waving Peter towards him when he sees that Peter isn’t following.
“What was your favorite thing to learn about in school?” Tony asks once they’re in the elevator.
Peter shuffles his feet awkwardly, clearly not used to being asked that question. “Well, all sciences interest me. I really liked chemistry and physics, but I was too young to really have any in depth classes for those. I did a lot of reading on my own. My uncle, he would walk me down to the library a couple times a week and help me pick out books. He didn’t really understand the subjects like I did, but he tried his best.”
Tony feels like he’s being let in on something important. He knows, of course, that Peter’s aunt and uncle were killed in a mugging at a convenience store a few years ago, but this is the first Peter has ever spoken of them to him.
“He sounds like a really great man.” Tony replies, hoping it’s the right thing to say.
“Yeah, he really was.” Peter replies quietly.
Tony gives him a moment before moving the conversation on.
“Well, Pete, if I can’t convince you to go to smart kid school, then I’ll just have to teach you myself.”
Peter looks confused as they exit the elevator back into the lab. “You’re going to teach me? Teach me what?”
Tony shrugs. “Everything I know, I suppose. Welcome to your first day of your actual, very real, Stark Industries internship.”