Chapter 1
"Hey Kid." He heard a voice say, he opened his eyes but everything was an utter blur. "You still with us?" He looked to the direction of the voice, his vision still blurred, taking a while to focus. The figure was a smudge of red and gold, the voice sounding so familiar, but his head was too fuzzy to place it straight away. He looked around, his vision slowly coming back. He saw the Lizard on the ground and in large cuffs, he then noticed as the rising in his ears started to fade the crowed was cheering his name. He made an attempt to get up but an arm stopped him, he looked to it again and it was metallic. He took a moment and looked up again, his vision better and he soon realised who it was keeping him in place. Iron Man aka Tony Stark. "You took a hard hit while taking him down. You need to sit." He told him sternly.
"I'm fine." Peter told him as he attempted to get up again, but the arm did budge, when Peter tried harder Tony pushed him back down firmly.
"No, kid you aren't." His voice sounded slightly condescending. Peter hated that. He didn't need this guy talking to him like he was 12.
"I'm fine, really. I heal quick." He said actually getting up this time pushing Iron Man off. He attempted to walk away when he was stopped, Tony had grabbed him by the arm.
"That might be but you still took a hard hit. Probably have a mild concussion. Besides we need to talk." Peter had no intention to stay, he ripped his arm out of Tony's grip and was about to thwip away until he heard the next word that came out of Tony's mouth. "Peter." It was in a hushed whisper, Peter only heard it because of his heightened senses. Peter turned quickly to look at Tony, eyes wide, his mask emulating his shock. "Yes. I know your name. Don't worry, your identity is safe, you're good. Very good in fact, took me a while to figure it out." Peter was getting slightly irritated Tony's arrogant aura. His jaw tightened as he glared at Tony.
"You know Stark, you really are a douche. What do you want?" Peter asked, his temper slipping a little.
"Only to talk. That's all. Meet me, at this address in normal clothes in about an hour. Its about a job." He said passing him a card. "15 minutes is all I ask." Peter took the card slowly, eyeing the address. It was for an old Pizza place. Why would he have a business card for this? Does his suit make one up when he needs it?
"Fine. 15 minutes, not a second more." He said before shooting a web and started to swing towards his apartment to change.
He stood outside the Pizza joint, the neon sign slightly flickering. The old sign read 'Stan's Pizza'. Peter was familiar with this place, it was his favourite, he assumed Tony knew this and chose a place Peter liked to sweet talk him. He sighed before pushing open the door, he heard a slight ding of a bell as he walked in. He looked around, it was completely deserted. Not ominous at all. An elderly gentleman, maybe in his late 60's to early 90's Peter couldn't really tell, came out of the kitchen. "Can I get you anything kid?"
"Not just yet, thanks Stan. Just meeting a... friend." He said smiling at the man. "But I'll let you know when I do." Stan smiled, nodded and went back to the kitchen. Peter walked to the back of the restaurant and sat in a booth. He waited for about 20 minutes, he was starting to get irritated. Couldn't even be on time to his own meeting spot. Peter used to admire Tony, still did but the genius side of him, not the douchey celebrity hero. Peter was very close to leaving before he heard the door open and the bell ring. He looked up to see Tony Stark in a a black and white suit, always in a suit this guy.
He watched the old man return and smile at him. "Nothing for me at the moment Stan but thank you." He said and the man returned to the kitchen. Tony made his way over to Peter and sat opposite him in the booth. There was a hard silence between the two and Peter no longer had his mask to, well, mask his face and emotions. He was unintentionally glaring at the older man still fuming about earlier.
Tony broke the silence. "I get the feeling you don't like me." He wasn't entirely wrong, Peter thought.
"That's not entirely true. I used to idolise you growing up, still do a little. But you know you can be such an ass sometimes. Well actually a lot of the time." Peter told him. "Its hard not to idolise a man who saved my life once, as well as be a genius is my field of work."
"I saved your life?" Tony asked, Peter could tell he was trying to remember and place his face.
"Years ago, I was like 8 or something. Stark Expo. Those Hammer Droids attacked, I was in an Iron Man mask."
"Oh yeah I remember you. Stood your ground, pretty brave." Peters glare loosened a little. "Stupid but brave kid." Peters face tightened again. "I get that a lot by the way. The ass part I mean."
"So what's this job?" Peter asked before Tony could try and continue the small talk or ask him more of that night..
"It's as a 'research assistant' at the Avengers Tower." Tony said, using his fingers to quote himself.
"And the real job?" Peter asked.
"Well Peter Parker will be a research assistant. While Spider-Man becomes an Avenger."
"Right. Okay. I think we're done here. I don't do teams." Peter told him as he was got up.
"I said the same thing when I was original approached about it." Peter stopped where he was looking down at Tony. "I didn't do teams either. Never done well in them you know? But then the world was in danger and I was suddenly apart of this... team." Peter hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to sit back down, deciding to hear him out. "You're good kid. I've read up on you. Finished second best in your class in high school. Gets straight A's in university, though always late. But I assume that's to do with the 'hobby'." He paused to look at Peter before continuing. "You worked as a part time photographer, taking pictures of Spider-Man for the Dailey Bugle but quit about a month ago. Smart idea by the way, no one can get better pics of yourself than you." Peter smiled at this. It was true, easy cash really.
"Now let's talk family." Thats when Peter lost his smile. "Parents died when you were young. Uncle died a few years ago. Followed by your Aunt quite recently, though I heard it was quite peacefully. Sorry kid, you have my condolences." Peter didn't respond at first. "A lot of death surrounds you kid."
"Can we move on?" Peter snaps slightly, not very aggressively, he just wanted to get off the topic. "I get it you've done your research. What's the point in this?"
"I'm just trying to get an idea of why you do this. This is an interview after all. Now why do you do this. Why are you Spider-Man?"
"Well. I have these powers, if I just stood by and watch someone get hit by a car or something when I could've done something about it, it just wouldn't feel right. And my Uncle always told me that when you have great power you with have a great responsibility. If I had listened to him, maybe he wouldn't be dead. Maybe other people wouldn't be." Peter said, his eyes going dark, looking down, his voice becoming quieter as he spoke.
"Other?" Tony asked eyeing the kid infant of him.
"As you said, I'm surrounded by death. My family is the only people I've lost."
Tony looked at him, feeing incredibly sorry for him. But knew he didn't want to be pitied, he understood. "I'm sorry, kid. I really am."
"Thanks." Peter quickly rubbed the tears forming in his eyes quickly. "Okay lets move on. Anything else."
"Just what I can give you if you join. The benefits and stuff." Peter gestured for him to continue. "Well, as Peter Parker you can finish your degree with me with a better education. I saw you did Physics and Biology as and undergrad. "What do you study now?
"Biophysics and chemical engineering." Peter told him.
"Right well with me you'll finish those as well as getting an education in all other fields of science, you'll be as qualified as me and Bruce Banner combined. You'll earn credits working on different things with us, as well as sticking to some of your curriculum, some things are mandatory. You'll be working on a large amount of things with big scientist including me. You'll get good money, all benefits with jobs. Dental, always good to have right? Health insurance, for your 'hobby'. Now for the other part of the job." He paused to pull up a video on his phone.
It was of him as Spider-Man, multiple different clips of him fighting and catching criminals in different suits. One video was him in his first suit, the tattered jumper with the sleeves missing catching a car thrown by one of his enemies. Another video of him in his current suit stopping a run away bus. Another of him fighting the Shocker and Electro in his insulated version of his suit. "You're good. But you could be better. You're sloppy in some places, but you're smart, quick on your feet. Fighting could be improved. I want to help you get to your full potential."
"So you want to train me? Be your sidekick? Because I'm telling you now Stark, I'm nobody's sidekick."
"I don't want you to be my sidekick kid. I just want to help. Make sure you don't get yourself killed. You'll be training with the best, enhancing your skills. You're part of the next generation of heroes kid. Take advice from us, learn from our mistakes. Give us a fresh look at things." Tony paused to gauge Peters current thoughts but Peter wasn't giving much away. "You're on your own now kid. I know you've lost people but I'm trying to make sure that they weren't in vane. That you can live with a purpose." Peter still looked unsure about the offer. "Plus as I said you quit your job a month ago, I'm sure money is getting tight now?" Peter looked uncomfortable by the statement as it was completely true.
"Look kid. Sleep on it. Give me a call when you've decided." He says sliding across a card. It was a metallic card, with a phone number and email on it. Tony was getting out of the booth when Peter spoke up.
"Does anyone else know my identity. Like the other avengers?"
"Nope, only me. I didn't feel the need to tell them." Tony told him, he didn't know whether to take his leave or take his seat again, so he stayed stood where he was, it seemed Peter was deep in thought. "Look kid, I have things to do. As I said, slee-"
"I'll do it." Peter said looking Tony dead in the eye. "On a few conditions."
"And they are?"
"You can tell the team I'm Spider-Man but anyone else I tell. So if someone new joins. I tell them no one else."
"That seems fair."
"I get my own lab. To work on my degree and Spidey stuff. Peter Parker could be the main designer for Spider-Mans gadgets and costumes." Tony took a minute to pause and think before answering.
"Fine, but you need to focus on finishing your degree mainly so it doesn't look suspicious and you design stuff for all the avengers, not just Spidey, it'll be too suspicious. Once the degree is finished you'll be hired as a Stark Industries/Avengers scientist and focus on more projects that you want to do, deal?"
"Deal. And my last two conditions. My friend,Ned, gets to visit Peter Parker in the lab sometimes. He gets clearance to my Lab and my Lab only. He helps me with a lot with my 'hobby' And I still get to patrol New York if the Avengers don't need me on a mission." Peter says, it seems with the stare he was giving Tony that these were all needs.
"Fine. Ted can visit-"
"Ned."
"Yeah, Ned, that's what I said. He can visit sometimes. Not all the time, again it'll look a little odd if he's there constantly. And yes you can patrol still. You're an adult, its not like I'll look you in your room. Just let someone know or log it in so we know. Seem fair?"
"Yeah fair."
"Good. Tomorrow, meet me at the Tower, as Spidey. Swing up when you want, I'll inform the team and tower so they'll be expecting you. I'll sort out things with your University tomorrow. We can get your rooms sorted. Meet the team. Do some training. Get a feel of the tower. Sound good?"
Peter gives the first smile Tony had seen from him. It was small but real. "Yeah sounds great."
"Okay, well see you tomorrow." He says walking out of the Pizza shop. Once Tony was out of sight Peter pulled out his phone and call Ned.
"Dude! Get down to Stan's Pizza. I got some big news!" He screamed into the phone. "Stan! I'll take some curly fries, a meatfeast pizza and some garlic bread!"
"You got it Pete!"
"Dude! That's amazing!" Ned told him digging into the fries. "You're gonna be an Avenger!"
"I know dude I know! He made it very hard too turn down." Peter said, "Dude added dental?! What the hell!" They laughed at this, finding it slightly ridiculous.
"You're gonna meet the Avengers dude! You're gonna meet Bruce Banner. We worshiped him back in Midtown" Ned pointed out.
"Dude we worship him now. We still read all his papers, we read new research papers like we used to read comics each week." Peter reminded him. It was true, Bruce Banner is one of his biggest idols.
"You're gonna train with the best of the best! Fight side by side with Captain America! Trained by the Black Widow! Dude you have it made." Ned smiles at Peter, he couldn't even be jealous of him. "And I can't believe you got me privileges!"
"Of course man. You're my best friend and partner. If I'm working on Spidey stuff I need my guy in the chair. And we both know you're a much better coder than me, without you I'd still be in my first suit with that hoodie." They chuckled at the thought of that old suit.
"So when do you head to the tower?"
"Tomorrow. He said we're gonna set up my lab and stuff and take a tour basically. Meet the team." Peter told him, taking sip of his cola. "Commute would be hell if I wasn't Spider-Man. I'll have to travel in everyday as Spidey then head down to the lab as Peter."
"You gotta video chat and show me the lab asap."
"Of course bro."