The yearly trip to science industries (after the fiasco concerning OC labs) was heavily guarded by the GPA efficiency minimum and it was usually 123 Seniors at Midtown high each year. That only left less than 30 who had the GPA needed in order to attend the field trip. But with detentions and tardies that often brought it down to 21 added in with the people who actually turned in their permission slips dropped that number down to a solid 13. That usually meant the whole decathlon team, one jock, the SAT ace, and two with tiger parents.
So when the paper was only passed to Peter and Flash in their homeroom he wasn’t surprised that’s all who qualified for the field trip.
Last year's field trip the students all got to go to Pym Tech and returned the day after. Liz said it was a fun experience and even one of the kids was later offered an internship available to him after their graduation. Liz wasn’t all that interested in the company herself but she said the experience was an enjoyable one. So Peter would have been lying if he said he wasn’t practically buzzed for when his senior year trip came.
He wondered if they would be able to tour the new labs Wakanda had set up. He wanted to go for a while but their outside personnel was strictly limited to certified personnel and those with names that ended with Stark, Banner, or Avengers. But the name staring back at him was just laughing at him, “congratulations, you have qualified for this year's exclusive Senior trip to SI inc.” an all-paid expense to visit his work. Now instead of taking the City bus, he could just catch a ride on a big ugly yellow one.
Not that this was a letdown it was still an amazing opportunity many would kill for. He thought gazing behind him to stare at Flash who fist-bumped the air. The stare caught his attention and he made brief eye contact with Peter with a glare flashing in his eyes. Peter only flashed his paperback before the flash rolled his eyes and no longer paid him attention.
Peter only rolled his eyes back, shoving the paper into the back of his class notebook.
Their….relationship was never the best. Well, it was eighth to freshman year, I mean it really was if their own little make-believe relationship was anything to go by. It wasn’t like they were in love with each other but it was nice up until Flash decided locker shoves weren’t for him anymore since his dad got his company to break through. But sitting along flash as he tried his hardest to claw himself into the cool kids massively put off what Peter had thought they had. Shortly after letting a joke slide at the expense of poverty, foster kid, Peter had cut ties with him both as a friend and what they may have been.
It was something flash tried his hardest not to let phase him; so shortly after their little break up if names started floating around and jokes were made at his expense he just brushed them off.
Then there was the fact that Flash still didn’t partially believe Peter's internship-neither did anyone else really- but Flash was the most put out about it. He would be lying if he says he wasn’t rooting for Peter the night of his junior-year party. He even helped Diana, the maid clean and dust just in case Spiderman really did show up. And when he didn’t show up he told Peter exactly how he felt about it with a new string of nicknames. Added on to the occasional passive-aggressive shoulder shove but nothing more or less beyond that. Sure he was a dick but he wasn’t a good fighter, just being richer than Parker he was beating him in the fight of life. Plus these days the times he had attempted to shoulder check Peter had him on his way to the nurse to receive an ice pack.
The minutes ticked by steadily as Peter waited to meet Ned at his locker. He’s almost deadly positive Ned received one too and is waiting to shake the life out of his shoulders. Peter may work at Si but Ned’s never been and the experience in itself is quite entertaining. Things are always different when best friends are involved.
“Anyone who received a field trip paper will have to have it signed and returned to me, the office, or Mrs. Meyers up to five days before the date of the field trip. Other than that we will continue on with the stock market Tomorrow!” The teacher screamed over the rustling papers and scraping chairs as he let them out a minute early, if you ask anyone on campus that made him the cool teacher.
Petter grabbed his folders, having lost another backpack he was sure laid webbed hidden to some building, and exited the room. He easily made it to his locker before Ned did and even got to close it before he was approached.
“Dude you can show me your lab,” he whispered to peter.
“Actually I can’t, my lab is Tony’s and that's only because Bucky has been keeping him away from the lab,” Peter announced before he got his hopes up. “We’re probably gonna tour below mid-level, I don't think they allow anyone without a permanent badge into any of the labs.”
“Well, Do we get to meet any of the avengers?”
“Probably Bruce, he’s usually chilling with all the other scientists. It’ll be cool though you know I haven’t actually met him? The dude has to be dumb smart, you know Tony scraps ideas if he can’t get Bruce to sign off on them.” Peter gushes, before an arm is roughly swung around his shoulder. “who-no.”
Flashes pffts, “give me a break I hate this as much as you but apparently since I’m friends with idiots I have to slum it with you and- I’m sorry what's your-”
“Ned”
“Yeah Ned, that sounds familiar- for the trip. I asked more about it and this might be a good time to turn in our submissions for the upcoming Intern conference. We get in ahead and we can probably impress him enough for our stuff to actually be looked at. Peter, I know your tech smart, I do numbers and possibilities, and Ned we’ve been in coding since middle school together so we can definitely do that.” Flash rambles.
“What are you talking about?”
“We’ve been coding together for 6 years and you just barely remembered my name?”
“What I’m talking about-Peter is welcome to the winning team. Listen you're smart Parker you may or may not have an internship although it's kinda sketchy that out of nowhere you a loser 17-year-old defies all social laws and pops on the popularity chart” Understandable, he still cursed Ned for saying anything right before he asked Mary jane to prom god that was embarrassing.
You know that fancy stuff doesn’t bother me, Peter. If I wanted to solely date you for your internship I’d hope someone would’ve knocked sense into you, to get over me.
“But I honestly feel as if we wow at least one impressionable person. They'll seek us an audience with Stark before the rest of the crowd.” Flash continues.
“You know that honestly doesn’t sound bad?” Ned finishes unsure over the look of alarm on Peter's face. Because yeah it’s not a bad idea and that expo meant the world to the real science losers around the GLOBE. And Ned really did want to be involved beyond the guy in the chair way before Peter turned into spiderman. Peter would probably still be hands-deep in his theories if he hadn’t gotten bit by some escaped lab spider. This expo at one point in his life -sophomore year- was the only thing that was gonna get Aunt May out of the nearly impoverished.
And flash…. Well he’s just a fucking nerd to put it lightly he was rich now, and since he was rich and still gushes this much about being an intern of all things meant he might’ve been worse than both Peter and Ned when they first envisioned running coffee for Tony stark.
Plus it would be kinda unfair to see if he could pull strings for Ned instead of proving that he was capable of it far more on his own. “Fiiiinn-”
“Whoop! You might actually not be so bad penis.” and with a clap on his shoulder disappearing with the ringing of the bell.
Peter clenched his jaw shooting a ‘why’ look at Ned, “Oh don’t give me that look, you think I want to work with him.”
Ned didn’t particularly believe Peter the first time he approached the subject that he and flash breached the line of friendship. In fact, he laughed at him and continued doing so each time he even looked at peter. Because sure at one point flash was all peter had growing up as apartment neighbors their relationship was a dime a dozen. But when flashes attempts at popularity started taking up his time he had taken up his friendship with ned who wore a cheesy may the force be with you shirt. So when all was said and done with flash ned was having some trouble believing they were even friends in the first place.
But “He has money, and resources and he is good at real numbers, not just technical coding.-look you're a spaceship mechanic, he does the landing the thrust, or whatever they do and I’m the guy who counts down which is honestly better than both of those jobs-”
“Please Ned you're embarrassing me '' Peter laughed as he and Ned made their way through the day. 2 months until the field trip was more than enough time for three geniuses to at least come up with a concept and a prototype for something cool.
Peter mentally let out a sardonic laugh, scrap that they’re screwed.
“I almost died,” Ned said, sitting in a shock of foam. “You guys just sat there, you were gonna watch me die.”
“Don’t be dramatic.” Ned reared back at Flash's comment, “Dramatic! I just went up in flames!”
“Hey, it was your boy Peter who made it. Plus maybe if he didn’t bail early last Monday we could’ve caught that our numbers weren’t matching up with his” Maybe if some assholes weren't trying to rob F.E.A.S.T after their charity event he wouldn’t have had to.
“I told you things happen Flash, I do in fact have a life.”
“MJ tell you that?”
“-oo burn”
“Ned!- ok listen, in order for this hoverboard to work, we have to make sure everything is matched up. Despite the numbers, It shouldn’t have done that, so something else must’ve gone wrong too.” Peter explained grabbing the notebooks and tossing them onto the Flashes workbench. Hoverboards and back-to-future stickers littered and scratched on the covers.
“Might be the fact that it isn’t hovering. But that's just me.”
Peter sighed, “flash-”
“Peter,” the other challenged.
“Ned!” the third boy interrupted causing the two others to look at him. “Thinks he’s gonna go upstairs for some juice…..and a rag” he finished back away slowly, not paying attention to the smoke still rising from his sleeve.
Peter waited till the door closed with a soft click before turning back to flash who was already advancing ground. “What's your problem!?”
“My Problem?” flash re-stated rearing back before motioning to Peter with a jab of his finger. “More like what the hell is yours! We've been working for a month and a half on this and time is running out But despite that fact you're always disappearing and sleeping whenever you come. I mean me and Ned have been working our asses off but it's either you're already busy or decide to get busy when you actually show up!”
Peter dragged his hands down his face in exasperation “I have work you know-”
Flash interrupted with a scoff before rolling his eyes “sure you do, Also-” he started digging his phone from his pocket and flicking through it furiously. “If you wanted to take breaks to fuck your girlfriend be real about it” he hissed throwing his phone over to peter.
On instinct he snatched the phone from the air, turning it to view the screen that- “ why do you have a picture of May?”
Peter glared up at Flash who was leaning into himself stiffly against the counter, “probably the same reason she was walking down k street, I mean- and please correct me if I'm wrong” Flash started lifting himself as he made sarcastic hand gestures. “ but I could’ve swore your excuse for not coming on Saturday was the fact that Aunt May broke her ankle, but maybe I misheard”
Peter froze upon the accusations, Sure he was never a good fibber but that one had completely spilled from his mouth before he could even think. Karen was sounding off alarms and by the time Peter had answered Karen's voice filtered through in his speaker a little too loudly. Of Course, it had immediately caught Flash's attention and at his suspicion, Peter had hastily excused himself, “it's the Urgent care calling aunt may fell down the stairs at F.E.A.S.T” and had left in a hurry.
But still, he couldn’t even imagine how shitty he looked. “I wasn’t with Mj, matter of fact I haven't been with MJ for like four months since she decided to tell me she’d emotionally cheated on me with her Friend Riri. So I would really appreciate it if you stopped the jokes.” he sighed, slumping his shoulders, her breaking up with him didn’t really seem that much of a surprise after. “-listen I went back to work, okay? I got an opportunity to interview for an actual position. I lied because I didn't want you to be mad since we’re all working together on this.” Peter finished rubbing his arms as he looked up at the other.
Flash only glared a moment longer before sighing and shaking his head in disappointment. “You've always been a terrible liar Peter but you do it every day I'm with you.” Pressing his palms to his eyes and groaning. “I can’t believe I ever dated you”
And fuck that hurt but it was a thought that couldn’t be explored because of the loud shatter that went through the room. Turning his gaze from flash he landed on Ned who had a blue-colored substance bleeding around his feet and hands losing grip on a bag of lays. “Uuh, I’m gonna go- gonna go get another rag- upstairs” Ned fumbled, backing out of the room in a haste.
“You know I regret dating y-”
“Yeah, I got that when you broke up with me” flash interrupted waving off the conversation as he made his way to the spill on the floor with an oil-covered rag.
“No- you don’t get to do that! You act like it was always me against you but you did an entire 180 just to get others to give the time of day and that still hasn’t worked out for you!” Peter pushed, “ kinda shitty dating someone who only cares what others have to say about him.”
“Yeah well, it's even shittier watching your boyfriend make excuses to hang out with others instead of blowing you off to your face.” And with that flash stomped back up the stairs with a dripping rag clenched in his fist.
“Your heartbeat is elevated, one would suggest breathing techniques in order to quell anxiety, anger, and other like temperaments.” A soft voice sounded in the stillness.
Peter shook himself out of it mumbling a soft “thanks Karen”
“I’m aware this might not be the most optimal time for you-” And that's how Peter grabbed his bag and made a quick escape upstairs not even planning to stop as he made for the door. Even as he turned he couldn’t help the spike that went through him as he made eye contact with flash through the glass before he looked away and finished his jog down the steps.
“Can I ask you a question peter?” Karen voiced as he sat alongside a rooftop, sirens making their way to his last drop-off with some thugs.
“Yeah, what's up?”
“If you seem to dislike Mr. Thompson, why do you like Mr.Thompson.”
Peter snorted at the question, dropping his head with his laughter. “I never really known, I mean I’ve known him for years and every once in again I'm spontaneously reminded of it-of how aware I am of him”
“Hmm” Karen voiced, “Mr. Thompson’s heartbeat suggests the same, it always elevates within your arrival.”
“No! Don’t tell me that I don’t need to know that” Peter rushed jumping to his heels and pacing along the edge. “Crap now I'm gonna obsess over that and I could have really lived without that information.” he groaned.
“If you'd like a distraction a break-in has been reported near uptown” and that was something Peter could do as he ran off the ledge slinging his wrist out in hurry to catch himself.
Honestly, it served as a great distraction as crime peaked throughout the week, School being the only constant of the week above all else. He opted for texting his numbers and test runs through the group chat over the bus rides to Flashes place. Even going as far as to avoid Ned at school as flash dumped his books and papers at their lunch spots unboxing his lunch for the day. Instead opting to spend it with MJ in one of her many club meetings.
“Yeah it was awkward but I mean it's gotten better,” Ned said over his mic as they played on their PCs. “I'm starting to see how he may have been dateable once upon a time.”
“Ned-” Peter sighed, dropping his head to his keyboard.
“No I get to make these jokes, it's my right from you hiding it for years”
At first flash would glare upon his entry to their classrooms only to try and catch Peter doing bathroom breaks. Something he avoided at all costs ever since he had to climb the ceiling as flash paced the stalls in confusion to the resounding emptiness within them.
Besides everything was going good, at least it had looked that way from the 20-second video Ned had sent of the hoverboard catching air for 13 seconds with 115-pound weights stacked on it. Before it collapsed back to the table Flash was cheering and smiling in the background.
And yeah the video was saved- twice on accident really, but really he had only saved it to send a video to Happy an avid Marty-Mcfly fan.
So of course it was only time for something to come around and fuck up Peter's life.
“This” Mr. Harrington started showing the class a lone piece of paper cut down to the size of a pinky. “Is your partner?” He finished as they gathered around the bus. “ You'll each be picking one from this cup and that is your chosen partner no matter how much you want it to be someone else.” He said gazing towards the one cuddling couple in the crowd. Mj merely rolled her eyes detaching their arms as Riri let out an ugly snort,
Once all the papers were picked and the bus loaded it came as no surprise as he boxed in a very irritated flash Thompson into their seat. “Hey-”
“Shut up”
“Okay then '' Peter sighed, leaning his head into the aisle as he tried to send a look to the nearest teacher. This was already going as badly as Peter expected it to. So they spent an entire hour and a half on a bus not even muttering a word to each other. Instead opting to look out windows, drum their fingers or play with the nearest device on their person. The atmosphere stayed that way between the two even as they were handed their respective lanyards and guided through two of the lower floors in full. It didn't bother Peter as much as he thought it would, so maybe that's why he grabbed Flash's wrist as they made their way up to the fourth floor.
“Hey, can we talk?”
“Oh, you do that nowadays?”
“Flash,”
“Parker?” he snipped back, turning away from Peter, stopping short at no sight of the group on the floor. “Shit” he mumbled making his way toward the nearest door.
“Not that way,” Peter said, grabbing back at his wrist and stopping him short, only jerking his head towards the elevator instead. “That's an exit towards the lower doors.”
Flash jerked his wrist free walking past peter in a flurry, “whatever”
Once they got settled into the elevator Peter timidly spoke in the air, “Hey, Friday?”
“Yes Peter”
“Uh, can you take us to where our class went?”
“Currently they are making their way to level twelve I will set your route there”
“Thanks, Fri” Peter mumbled leaning against the railing.
“So do you think we’re gonna get to see spiderman” Flash started startling Peter.
“Oh well-”
“I hope we can,” Flash continued, turning his head slightly to look at peter. “ I mean - come on, it’s spiderman.” and oh Peter didn’t like the look in his eyes.
“I mean compared to Iron man he’s not much” Peter opted instead shrugging off the feeling.
“I guess,” flash shrugged, smiling on. “ But Tony's like 40 something, sources say Spiderman's probably in college” smiling wider, “I just know he’s hot” and flash was playing a very dangerous game.
Peter's jaw ticked, “not really dude average at best” he quipped sardonically his jealousy rapidly growing towards his own persona. “And he’s a dick”
Flash rolled his eyes at that, “you're just saying that to make him seem bad, plus I have yet to see an ‘average’ guy that has those abs and a butt like that-”
“Hey, can we talk about literally anything else-”
“I mean he stopped a car with his bare hands and held together a ferry. Bet he could pick anyone up if he wanted and those biceps-” and just like that peter felt the web in his brain snap in too as he crowded into flash lifting him towards the wall until he could little refuge with his toes on the elevator floor. It was like Peter was watching in third person as Flash’s eyes widened and his pupils dilated with them, something Peter was automatically burning to memory.
“See '' Peter started a voice cracking a smidge “not that hard '' they stared into each other for what felt like seconds before Friday's voice broke through to them.
“Peter you have arrived at level twelve but I have put the elevator into a safety stop, whenever you desire I will release the stop” something she had self-learned concerning her maker and his lover's Rendevous”
Slowly Peter began releasing his hold on the other until flash could comfortably have both his toes and heels on the same level. But even though Peter tried to right his wrong by turning away from the other he felt flash’s fingers circling his jaw dragging him back.
And sure Peter, despite what Tony had said, had read the employee handbook and he knew this was highly frowned upon behavior. But at the moment Peter could only focus on the tongue trying to sneak between his teeth.
Peter crowded him back against the railing grabbing the other's hip with his right hand while slinging his left arm fully around the other waist. Deepening the kiss further, causing flash’s head to crane back with the force of it. Peter's mind dulled over as he was overtaken by every emotion that's been banging against his temples for the past two months.
Only kicking into gear when the railing dug a little too harshly into the Flash’s spine causing a pained gasp to escape him. At the sound Peter had dropped both of his hands underneath the other thighs, lifting him to sit an inch above it as he moved back, pressing firmly into the line of flash's body. Flash opting to wrap his legs around him, hands circling up to grasp at Peter's neck and the other into his hair as he let out puffs of air between their joined mouths.
At that moment Peter's mind only filled with thoughts of “you could really get fired over this kid”
Oh no-
“Mr. Stark” Peter's voice sounded in alarm, hastily setting Flash back to the ground as he made a reasonable distance between them. Rubbing his hands along his jeans and licking his suddenly dry lips, “You're not supposed to be here.” which was a lame way to distract the situation but it was the truth. Happy told him Tony had left the country a week ago.
“Oh I’m not here” the voice sounded through the speaker's, soft parade music filtering through with it. No Tony was currently in India participating in a wedding. Just bowing his head to receive a flower garland before Friday pinged on his phone with a very interesting notification.
“Thank god this place has Wi-fi or Friday would’ve had to notify Pep, then you’d seriously be toast.” Tony started a soft thank you filtering through as he was handed a drink. “Look, I'm sure you and Mr.” Tony took a second to gaze back down on his phone grabbing the name of Peter’s assailant from Friday’s message, “Thomspon are having a great time but if I can’t do that with my husband you definitely can not”
“God'' Peter groaned, cheeks coloring embarrassingly as flash coughed and shielded himself in a hug trying very hard to act like he wasn’t currently half hard and getting scolded out by his childhood icon.
“Where's Happy? He should be with you?”
“Mr. Stark, can we end this conversation?”
“And - Oh sorry I'm talking to a teenager. -other people use those elevators and there are many places where Friday won’t have to be subjected to monitoring your activities.” He could vaguely hear the sound of an engine going off before tony finished, “ but still I’m gonna be back by Tuesday and you can tell me more about this hoverboard you guys drafted up, you know I got some pull at MIT”
Flashes eyes widened staring at Peter, “you told him?”
“But at the moment I gotta go, be safe and… Be safe. End call!”
“Wait-” Peter started, only to be interrupted by Friday's voice. “ Mr. stark is no longer connected, bye Peter”
And with that, the doors came open leaving them face-to-face with their group and Mr. Harrington who was aggressively pushing the button.
“What kind of - oh boys where were you? '' He asked, crossing his arms in disapproval at their disappearance.
“Oh,” Peter started rubbing his sidearm, “Flash needed to go, so I just showed him the way, Sorry we should’ve told you.” in the distance he could see the exact moment Mj and Ned's eyes squinted in question.
“Oh well then we’re going to the cafe to get a rest and some snacks before moving to the next levels,” He said, turning to look at the gathering, calling out two more groups. “Since you know where everything is take this group up with you and we’ll be up on the next one”
But even as awkward as it was standing with four people now between them he couldn’t stop his eyes from glazing when he looked over to where he had him pinned a moment ago.
“You f-ing liar” Mj hissed pinching Peter's arms as he let out a low “ow”
“Where did you go Peter,” Asked ned stressing over to him as they huddled at the table. A small group of them spread out across the cafe while some ventured off to the bathrooms. Those some including flash who had to pee again so soon.
“Nowhere I tried to just talk to him we got cut off from the group and just took the elevator up to find you guys.” Peter huffed rubbing at the pinch mark as he leaned back in his seat.
“Believable….” Mj mused, “ if we weren’t on that floor for like 17 minutes!” she finished with a hiss pinching him once more.
“Hey!- Ow- stop ok!”
“Oh my god-” ned gasped pointing accusingly at peter, “Did you show him the lab!” he whispered. ‘
“No- No! Ok calm down both of you we’re just in the elevator we got a little-” he voiced sinking in his seat a little with embarrassment, “caught up ok”
“I’m pretty sure you can get fired or even sued by fornicating on company property” Mj voiced. Peter’s brow quirked staring at Mj stunned through his fingers.
“Wait-” Ned paused turning to Mj. “how do you know that's what they were doing!”
“Well, they dated” Mj shrugged, common knowledge right? Or at least it was that unfortunate Tuesday she got detention with Flash who took it upon himself to bitch and moan to her about his boyfriend that was too busy hanging out with his other boyfriend.
“Uhhh-” peter started lifting himself up to continue the questioning.
“You told Tony Stark about our project!” Flash glowered crashing down on a seat across the table.
Ned's head poked up gazing between the two, “Wait you told him?!”
“What no!” peter rebuked, “I told Happy!”
“Happy-”
“Happy?”
“Wait what's going on” Riri questioned coming to a stop at the table.
“We’re talking about Peter's sex life” Mj answered. Riris brows furrowed gazing around the table watching as peter slapped his hands back on his face and groaned down into his chair. Ned still gazing at both Flash and Peter concerning their project and flash who’s eyes widened at the topic name.
“Ok-” she answered, “well Mr. Harrington’s ready to move sooo-”
“Sooo let's talk,” Flash sighed, elbows on the countertop as he leveled the marble with a sharp stare. Distant clatters drifted from downstairs where Ned was showing off the prototype to MJ and Riri. “Obviously we have to right-”
“Yeah” peter agreed shaking his head softly. The wind blew past his hair as he took in the view of New York from Flash’s Roof. Apparently, this was the “spot” for flash whenever he just wanted time or silence so it was no surprise he had led him up here. Both their legs dangling from the ledge no longer burdened by the noises down stars or the silence of the kitchen. The feeling of it all was just ice down Peter's back as he took in the moment. Turning his head over to gaze at the other longingly.
Peter couldn’t help but wonder if this was it, everything he could want at this moment. If this was someone who he could walk down the halls with again or even the streets to an average hole in the wall with a shitty boss running it. If it was even possible to actually hold hands this time and kiss and hug and actually understand what it all meant. If he would be just as excited to unbox each acceptance letter with him come second semester even though they only cared about MIT. If this was the feeling of another casualty being laid down on Spiderman's back. If this would be the final person he’d ever have to unmask for if he would unmask for them.
Was this it?
“Ok” Peter breathed eyes holding, “let's talk”