"I'm not going, May."
"Oh, Peter, don't be ridiculous. Of course you're going. Honestly, I'm a little offended on Tony's behalf."
Peter sighs. "This has nothing to do with Tony. I know the tower like the back of my hand; why should I have to tour it on a field trip?"
May throws her kitchen towel over her shoulder and turns from the oven to face her nephew. "How would it look if you didn't go? Disrespectful, for one, and people already don't believe you have an internship at Stark Industries; this would only cast further doubt."
Peter plops down at their tiny dining room table, pouting. "I don't care about what other people think or don't think. I couldn't care less."
It's May's turn to sigh. "I'm not leaving this up for discussion, as persuasive as your puppy dog eyes are. You're going; I already signed your permission slip."
Groaning in the way only teenagers can, Peter flops against the back of the chair. "Are you going to tell Tony?"
The woman chuckles. "I won't have to, honey. I'm sure one of his many receptionists will tell him that a large group of teenagers will be walking around his building. If they don't, Pepper will. Now, help me cut this so we can eat."
Peter groans again at his predicament and stands to help his aunt.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The bus ride to Stark Industries is just as bad as Peter knew it would be. Flash made sure to sit right behind Peter and Ned, because of course he did. Five minutes after they'd left the school, he started his usual tirade with a kick to Peter's seat. "Hey, Penis. I'm sooo excited to see where Tony Stark has you work. Because you definitely have an internship, right? It would be such a shame if it turned out to be a lie all along, and you got exposed." He shakes his head mockingly while his goons chuckle. "Such a shame."
"Knock it off, Flash. You're being an asshole."
Flash pushes his lip out in a faux pout. "Oh, am I hurting your wittle feewings? How will you ever forgive me? What would I possibly do without your support in my life?" His goons laugh even louder, drawing the attention of the back of the bus.
"I thought I told you to piss off. Eugene." Peter growls. This shuts the bully up, for the moment, at least. Flash grits his teeth and Peter can see the hatred in his eyes, but he doesn't say anything else.
Finally, after what feels like a lifetime, the bus pulls into the visitor's parking lot. Tony had told his protege that he'd stay out of the way and hunker down in the penthouse or his own personal lab. He didn't seem offended when Peter told him it'd be too much if he were to interact with his class. In fact, he seemed to understand.
"Thank you, Tony," Peter remembers saying. "It's just… easier if you aren't there. I won't have to answer more questions than I already will."
"No problem, kiddie. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Smiling faintly at the memory, Peter feels a harsh bump against his shoulder, and his smile falls. "What're you smiling at, Penis? You know something I don't?"
"No, I'm smiling because you can't come up with a better insult than changing my name to a lude body part. Getting pretty stale, if I'm honest. If you're going to bully me, at least keep it fresh."
Flash's mouth hangs open, and he quickly snaps it shut. He crosses his arms and mumbles, "Whatever," before turning around and walking to a waiting Mr. Harrison.
"Alright, everyone. Before we go in, I want to remind you all that we are guests in Mr. Stark's fine facility, and we need to act as such. Please be respectful and don't touch anything unless you are permitted. And remember, you and your attitudes represent Midtown, so let's upkeep our school's splendid reputation."
As they enter the main lobby to collect their visitor badges, the young receptionist on duty spots Peter and smiles brightly. "Hi, Peter! I see you have quite a few people accompanying you today. Have fun!"
Peter can feel his ears flush at being singled out. He does, however, catch the bewildered look on Flash's face and grins slightly. "Thanks, Molly, we will. And tell your mom I'm glad she's feeling better." Molly beams again and waves as he walks past. He notices that even his teacher and the aids are shocked at the familiarity of the exchange.
Ned gives him a look that reads, "What was that all about?" The boy shrugs. "Molly's twin brother is an intern here; I talk to both of them pretty often."
"I thought you said you don't interact with the interns here," Ned whispers.
Peter shrugs again, ignoring the buzz of Mr. Harrison's words. "Tony's shown me around their labs once or twice. That's where I met Mason. You'd like him; he's pretty cool. Super smart, too, obviously." Peter whispers back. "Tony gave Molly a job to help pay for her college- she told me she wants to go to Princeton. And she definitely earns more than most receptionists out there." Peter grins. "He's also been paying for her mom's medical bills, although Molly doesn't know that."
"Woah, that's really nice of him. Sometimes I forget he's not the pretentious douchebag the media makes him out to be." Both boys turn back to their teacher once their guide starts talking.
"Do you know him, too?" Ned whispers, even more so.
Peter nods. "He's what SI calls a 'graduated intern.' Once you leave the program, you can either get into pretty much any school you want, with Tony's letter of recommendation, or he offers you some sort of job at the company." Peter motions to the man at the front, talking them through the layout of the building. "That's Eric; Tony told me about him. He has a photographic memory that has pretty much zero limits. Tony offered him a job as a guide here, for the experience, before he applies somewhere else."
They continue walking through the building and into one of the R&D labs. Interns mill about as Eric explains some of the past projects that came out of the lab. Looking around, Peter spots Mason at the same time Mason spots him. The older boy's face lights up and he walks past, pretending to look for something, giving Peter a high five. Flash can't take it anymore and interrupts the guide, speaking to Mason.
"Okay, enough. You actually know him?" He growls, irritated. "As in, he's a real intern here?"
Mason looks from Peter to Flash, confused. "Yeah? The big man has Parker work in many different places, but he's helped me out in here a few times. Why? Did you not believe him?"
A few of Peter's classmates kick at the ground sheepishly, and Flash stands there, trying to think of a comeback. "Why would we? This is Stark Industries. We're not going to believe anyone who says they work here."
Mason shrugs, and his mouth forms a lop-sided grin. "Well, Pete isn't just anyone. And I highly doubt he goes around broadcasting the internship to the whole world. My guess is he mentioned it in passing once, maybe twice, and you are the one who made it into a big thing. Jealousy isn't a good color on anyone; I'd work on that if I were you." He winks at Peter before going back to his workstation.
Mr. Harrison claps his hands to wrangle the attention back from his students, and Flash stares wide-eyed at Peter, who suddenly feels dizzy. Black dots dance in his vision, and the room spins. A hand claps him on the shoulder.
"Hey, dude, you okay? You're not overstimulated, are you? Because I'm sure Mr. Harrison would let you chill somewhere for a minute-"
"Ned, Ned, I'm fine. Just got dizzy for a second. I'm probably dehydrated." He beams at his best friend. "Thanks, though; I appreciate it."
Later though, the dizziness returns, and MJ is the one to say something. "Do you need to sit down? You look really pale."
Peter waves her off. "I'm okay, Em, I promise."
Letting the rest of the group pass them, MJ puts a hand on his cheek in an uncharacteristic display of public affection. "Peter, you really don't look good. Just sit down for a minute."
The boy puts a hand on top of hers. "I appreciate the concern, but I promise I'm fine." He laces their fingers together, and they catch up with the group.
Later, in the "schematics hall of fame," as Tony called it, Peter wishes he'd listened to his friends. He feels like he's walking through molasses, and the room spins more than before. The black dots return with a vengeance until he can't see anything, even though he knows his eyes are open. Peter hears his name being called from a distance, and he doesn't realize he's falling until his head hits the floor and the world turns dark and silent.
In the penthouse, Tony reads through his emails when FRIDAY’s voice echoes urgently through the room. “Boss, it appears Young Peter requires your help.”
The man shoots up. “What? What happened, FRI? Is he okay?”
“Peter has fainted in the schematics room, sir. His blood sugar levels are low.”
“Damn it, kid.” He mutters, grabbing chips, water, and a juice box from the pack Peter had insisted Tony didn’t have to buy him before booking it to the elevator.
When he reaches the room, he can see who must be Peter’s teacher telling everyone to step back. He can also see the edge of a table Peter came dangerously close to hitting on the way down. Getting closer, he breathes a sigh of relief that his kid isn’t lying in a puddle of blood.
“Out of the way, please. Make room.” His voice sounds strange in his own ears, and he barely acknowledges the shocked whispers and expressions at his sudden presence. Ignoring the comments like, “Is that actually Tony Stark?” “How did he know to come here?” “I guess Parker really does know Tony Stark,” Tony kneels next to Peter and speaks softly.
“Hey, buddy. Can you hear me? You gotta open your eyes, okay? C’mon, kiddo.” He sees Peter’s eyelids struggling open. “There we go.” He smiles warmly, a hint of worry still evident in his expression.
“T-tony?” Peter rasps. “How did you-”
“Shh, it’s okay. FRIDAY told me. Can you sit back against the wall here?” Tony helps the kid scoot against the wall and hands him the water bottle. Only then does he lock eyes with the star-struck teacher and motion in the opposite direction with his head.
Mr. Harrison snaps out of his trance and claps his hands. “Okay, everyone, it seems like Mr. Stark has a handle on the situation. Let’s give our attention back to our very informative guide.” Eric jumps right back in and does his best to corral the students away from the billionaire.
Peter sips gratefully first from the water, then the juice box, resting his head against the wall. Tony sits next to him, rubbing his back. “FRIDAY told me your blood sugar dropped way too low. How much did you eat today?” The boy looks away and sets the juice next to him. “C’mon, kid. You know I’m not going to be mad. Mildly annoyed, maybe, but nothing more.”
Sighing, Peter turns his head but still avoids eye contact, looking at a spot past Tony’s ear. “I had a few granola bars this morning for breakfast because I was in a rush. I forgot to pack my lunch, so Ned and MJ shared theirs. I ate apple slices on the bus.”
“And that’s it?” Tony asks, incredulous. “No wonder you fainted; that’s not nearly enough, even for a non-superpowered person.” Tony can tell Peter is trying his best not to cry, with his classmates only a few feet away. “Hey, it’s okay. But you have to eat more, cucciolo, or this is going to keep happening.”
A stubborn tear trickles down his cheek, and Peter swipes at it. “I know; I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s hard. Hard and frustrating to eat so much. It doesn’t help that I forget most of the time.”
“I get it, kid, I do. Hell, look who you’re talking to. But I don’t want this to happen again, and I’m sure you don’t either. Here,” Tony opens the bag of chips and hands it to his kid. “Your body isn’t going to let you stand, let alone walk, if you don’t eat something soon.”
Peter takes the bag wordlessly, cringing at how loud the packaging is. He watches his classmates walk out of the room, continuing on the tour, and he turns to his mentor. “I can’t go back with them, Tony. I can’t. They’re going to ask questions and stare and whisper, and I’ll be able to hear every remark and snide comment, and I just-”
Tony takes his hands. “Okay, okay. Easy there. Slow your breathing.” Peter stops and realizes just how quickly his chest heaves up and down. He breathes in deeply, trying to slow it. “There you go, good.”
Inhaling again, Peter continues in a hushed tone. “I can’t go back, Dad, I can’t. Don’t make me.”
It’s the way Peter’s voice cracks and wobbles when he says “Dad” that makes Tony cave. “You know you’ll have to deal with this eventually, right?” He whispers tenderly.
Peter nods. “Just not right now. Not today. Please.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to your teacher. Make your way up the penthouse after you finish eating, yeah?” Peter nods, and Tony pats his knee as he stands. “Good deal. Be careful standing up; you might be dizzy still.” The boy nods again, and Tony follows the direction of the group.
Once he’s caught up, the whispers and wide eyes sweep through once more. He’s used to this reaction, of course, but he no longer finds satisfaction in it. He flags down Mr. Harrison.
“Mr. Stark? What, um, what can I do for you? Is Peter okay? That was quite a fall.”
“Yeah, he’s fine. Is it alright if he sticks around here? He usually comes to the lab after school on Fridays, and it seems inconvenient to make him go back to school when he comes here after anyway.”
“Well, I don’t know. Did he say that’s what he wanted? And what about his stuff? It’s still at Midtown.”
Tony donned his most charming, reassuring smile. “He did. I figured Mr. Leeds could grab his stuff and bring it to him tomorrow. Is that alright with you?” He asks, turning to Ned and shooting him a secretive wink.
“Of course! No problem at all, sir.”
“You… know Mr. Leeds?” The teacher asks, bewildered.
“He’s Parker’s best friend; of course I know him. I try to be very involved in my interns’ lives. Now, do I need to sign something?”
“Um, I suppose so. We just need it in writing that Peter didn’t go missing, and there is a reason he stayed behind.”
After signing his name with a flourish, Tony grips the other man’s hand. “Thank you for being so cooperative; I appreciate it.”
“Thank you, Mr. Stark. It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”
I’m sure it is, Tony thinks with a smirk. “Sure. Enjoy the rest of your tour.” He nods at the guide in greeting, “Eric,” Before strolling to the elevator.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Tony walks out of the lift into the penthouse, Peter is sitting on one of the stools under the kitchen island, already changed from his school clothes to a hoodie and sweatpants. Peter’s arms are folded in front of him, his head resting on his forearms. A discarded plate is next to him, remnants of peanut butter and jelly still evident.
When Tony enters, Peter doesn’t look up, and the billionaire wonders if Peter had fallen asleep waiting for him. It isn’t until he sits next to him that Peter moves slightly, head still resting on the counter.
The older man rubs the younger’s back. “You doing okay? I see that you ate something; good job.” Peter mumbles something in response, his words muffled by fabric. Tony assumes it’s something along the line of thanks. “Can I see you for a second, kiddo?” Peter hesitates. “I need to make sure you actually are okay, and I know your face hides nothing. Please, tesoro.”
Slowly, the teenager lifts his head, eyes red. “Is that fashionable red color your eyes are sporting from crying or being rubbed?”
“Rubbed,” Peter mumbles. Tony decides he’s telling the truth. “We need to talk more about how much you’re eating,” Tony says softly.
“No,” Peter snaps, sounding five rather than fifteen. “There’s nothing more to talk about.”
“I think there is. Why don’t you try to explain to me more about what specifically you have a hard time with, okay?"
Peter sighs, more than a little annoyed. That irritation dissipates some, however, once he starts talking. “It’s just… remembering to eat was hard even before I was Spiderman. Now, I have to eat over two times the calories of a normal person, or else I feel like crap. And even when I do remember, nothing is enough. I’m never full. Trying to keep up with it becomes exhausting, and I kind of just stop, ignoring whatever consequence I’ll face in the future.”
He cards exhausted hands through his hair. “Is that a good enough explanation for you?” Peter snaps again, immediately regretting it. “I’m sorry. I’m just… tired. Really tired.”
“I know. I hate that it’s so difficult for you. I can relate to not remembering to eat, but I don’t exactly have a super-speed metabolism.” Peter stays quiet, and Tony’s mind flashes back to when he first walked in on Peter’s body and saw the corner of the table.
Peter catches Tony’s gaze, startled. “Your heart rate shot up super fast, Tony. Are you okay?”
With a shaky exhale, Tony starts, “When I saw you on the floor, the first thing I noticed was how close you were to hitting your head on the corner of a table on the way down. I didn’t know if I’d get closer and see blood pooling beneath you. Which is ridiculous because FRIDAY would have told me if you were bleeding, but I-”
Suddenly, tears spring from Peter’s eyes, and Tony stops as his kid whispers, “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry I fainted. It shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry for scaring you.”
“Oh, kiddie, don’t apologize. Maybe it could’ve been avoided, maybe not. It scared the shit out of me when I saw the table, but that’s not your fault. You can’t exactly plan where you fall.” He cups Peter’s cheek and swipes at a few stray tears. His heart jumps when he feels Peter lean into the touch. “Listen, we can lay on the couch and be lazy, but I want you to eat something else first."
Peter pulls away at that, and Tony holds his hands up in surrender. “I know, I know. Just a protein shake or something, yeah? Go get comfy; I’ll make it for you.”
Despite his long clothing, Peter is still chilly and bundles underneath a heavy blanket, waiting for Tony. His mentor insists on him swiftly drinking the shake, and the boy obliges.
“Do you want to watch a movie?” Tony asks, getting under the same blanket as the teenager.
Peter shakes his head, immediately curling into Tony’s chest. “I just want to sit here. Is that okay?”
Tony smiles warmly down at the bundle of spiderkid huddled against him. “It’s very okay.”
Italian to English translations:
Cucciolo: Puppy
Tesoro: Honey