Peter didn't ask Mr. Stark to come. Really, he didn't. In fact, he made sure to stay closed mouthed about it every time he even spoke to the billionaire. It wasn't because he didn't want him here - trust him, he'd be happy if he showed. Peter was just a realist: Mr. Stark is a very busy man and 100 % does not have time for high school honor society inductions. Between running a business and being Iron Man, there was no hope that the man could come. So Peter, rather than set his hopes up too high, just "failed" to mention it around Mr. Stark. Hey, that's not a crime.

It's not like he spent hours over the summer volunteering at science camps for elementary school kids just get into the Science, Math, and National Honor Societies. How he found the time, he had no idea. But Peter put a lot of effort towards this - so he was going. And Aunt May couldn't come. He didn't even offer when he saw her loaded work schedule. It would be unfair to make her feel bad or guilt her into taking off or taking more shifts later. So yeah, technically, he's "at Ned's place to study". But, come on, this lie cannot be a bad one. Especially since he and Ned will be leaving the inductions to go study at his place anyway.

So imagine Peter's surprise when he looks out into the crowd despite the lights burning his enhanced eyes. Right smack in the middle, is Mr. Stark. Well, not the very middle. The middle of the very last row of the auditorium, but still. Mr. Stark is here. At Midtown High. For an induction ceremony.

Peter's staring is cut short when he makes his way in the line to his alphabetized seat - Parker means all the way in the back, behind almost 50 other students (him behind Ned and Flash behind him, kicking his back). So he has to wait for speeches to be made through the microphone (so damn loud) for almost twenty minutes before his name is called to receive his certificate and pin.

Peter walks up, shakes the principal and advisor's hands, takes his pin, takes his certificate and immediately whips around to search the crowd while walking away. And there he is. Anthony Edward Stark. And he's got his phone out, taking a video of Peter walking across the stage. Mr. Stark is standing up and taking video like an overly proud parent. Oh my god. So Peter does what anyone would do: he gives a thumbs up and points at his certificate before sitting back down for the remaining half hour of speeches.

And when they're finally over, Peter practically bounces off the stage. Somewhere between running and walking he makes his way over to Mr. Stark, his smile still plastered onto his face.

"Hey, congrats, kid," Mr. Stark says, pulling an arm around him to steer them out of the auditorium.

"Thanks!" Peter relishes the attention from his mentor. How many times does Iron Man tell you congratulations? "Um, no offense, Mr. Stark, but uh - how did you know that I was, that I uh-"

"That you were getting inducted?" Mr. Stark amusedly fills in the rest of the question as they walk further down the hallway, further away from prying eyes who would want Mr. Stark's picture or autograph. Because really, this night was about Peter. "Well, Karen is synced to your phone and your calendar is on your phone..."

"Oh my God," Peter covers his face in embarrassment. Of course that's what happened. He's such an idiot.

"Why didn't you just tell me about it, kid? I wouldn't have had to jump through so many hoops."

"I didn't want to uh - to bother you with it. Because it's just a high school honor society ceremony. It's really not a big deal. And even Aunt May didn't come. Plus you have much better things to be doing than to come here."

Mr. Stark's face says otherwise. "Are you kidding? Of course I'd want to come. I'm here aren't I? And the honor societies are a big deal. And this was the National one. Colleges eat that stuff up. Not to mention you are now also in Science and Math Honor Society. That's all a pretty big deal to me."

"I guess..." Peter concedes.

"Hey, not everything between us has to be Spiderman related. Because you know what? The guy under the suit is even better." Peter is mortified when he feels his cheeks heat up. God, he must look like a tomato. But that was really nice.

"Thanks, Mr. Stark." Peter can't help the smile that creeps onto his face. And he's even happier when Mr. Stark's expression matches his own.

"Okay, now stand against the wall with the certificates. I want to take the stereotypical picture," Mr. Stark teases and instructs. And it's about twenty pictures later and a lot of teasing between them - mostly because of Peter's non-cooperation - that Mr. Stark surprises him once again.

"Where do you want to go for celebration?"

"Wait, what?" Peter's entirely confused. Mr. Stark wants to take him out somewhere?

"You know - ice-cream, donut shop, bakery, coffee shop... where ever you want, kid." Mr. Stark doesn't even look phased. As if this was a normal thing to do.

"Uhm, well, I was going to go to Ned's afterwards. We were going to study for the Chem test tomorrow." Peter bites his lip. Because man oh man does he want to have a celebratory dessert with Mr. Stark. It reminds him so much of Uncle Ben; they'd get milkshakes together after Peter won the science fair or his first Decathlon competition. Even sometimes it was just getting straight A's. It was always him and Ben. It was their thing. But maybe he could go with Mr. Stark too. After all, it's not like an ice-cream cone would really make a dent in that man's wallet.

"Well, if he wants to come with, he can. Or you can just go there and we can get ice-cream or something another time. Or not at all. That's fine too." Peter might be mistaken but it looks like Mr. Stark is floundering. Oh my gosh, he is!

"No, Mr. Stark! We can go now. Just the two of us. I'll just let Ned know. As long as you can drop me off there afterwards." Peter points and makes to leave, proving his sincerity. With a nod in confirmation from his idol, Peter sifts through the crowd, looking for Ned and Mrs. Leeds.

"Oh Peter! There you are! Uh, listen, apparently my grandparents came in to see this so I have to hang with them for a bit, so if you don't mind waiting like an hour alone in my room, then I can make it upstairs -"

"Ned," Peter interjects to stop his friend from having to unnecessarily explain. "It's fine. I actually came to tell you that Mr. Stark is here and -"

"Mr. Stark is here!" Ned stage whispers, shock overtaking all his features. "Oh my God, if only my grandparents knew who he is! Then I'd be with you guys in a flash." Peter laughs. He used to be just like Ned about Mr. Stark.

"Well, listen, man. He actually just offered to take me out to ice-cream for celebration, so if you don't mind me coming a little later..."

"Dude, say no more. You literally have to go. It's like a crime if you don't. It's Tony Stark and you're having ice-cream with him. You have to tell me what his favorite flavor is. And if he puts jimmies on them or not." They both laugh this time.

"I promise, Ned. See you later?" With another nod in confirmation, Peter navigates through the crowd back down the empty hallway to where Mr. Stark is scrutinizing art on the walls.

"All good! We can head out," Peter announces while almost bouncing off the walls. He's going to have ice-cream with Mr. Stark. Ned was so right. It'd be a crime to turn this down.

"Great! So, ice-cream was the vote?" he asks, pulling out his keys and phone.

"With how fast you eat literally every other type of food, I expected you to woof that down, not slowly lick it," Mr. Stark observes over his own bowl of ice-cream from across the table at the empty Baskin Robins.

"I may have enhanced healing, but I am not immune to brain freezes," Peter replies, not even looking up from his cookies and cream cone. Well, not until he hears Mr. Stark's chuckle.

"So where's Aunt Hottie, kid? I thought she loves to see your highest achievements." Mr. Stark takes another spoonful of rocky road.

"Oh, uh, she's working," Peter looks down at the table, his licking rate even slower. "I uh, kind of didn't tell her about this."

"Oh?" Mr. Stark's eyebrow shoots up. "And why not?"

"Well, I know her work schedule and she has shift tonight, a late one. And I didn't want to tell her because then she'd take off work and then she'd have to take more shifts later at worse times and it just wasn't worth it."

"You don't think she'd be hurt more that she missed this?" Mr. Stark asks, not really looking for an answer. "You're just lucky I took pictures and plan on sending them to her." Peter laughs at that. Mr. Stark is so incorporated into their lives that he has Aunt May's phone number. And she has his.

"Yeah, lucky me. I just wasn't going to tell her. Just say that there was no ceremony, you know? Right now, she thinks I'm at Ned's. I will be, anyway."

"That where you got the tie from? Because I know you, kid, and there's no way you own anything fashionable or lacking a science pun on it."

"Hey!" Peter can't help but smile behind the cone. "I'll have you know that these pants and button down are 100% my own!"

"Yeah, sure kid," Mr. Stark smiles before pointing back at the tie. "But I still don't think that's yours. Not the right length." And at that, Peter's smile wavers a little bit. Not by much, but nostalgia hits him so hard that Mr. Stark notices.

"You're right. It's uh- or uh was my uh - my Uncle Ben's. It was his tie."

"Well, the man had good taste in ties, I'll give him that. And it does look damn good on you, kid." Again, Peter blushes at the compliment, opting to continue eating his ice-cream lest he embarrass himself on his own even more.

"Thanks, Mr. Stark."

"Except for how you tied it," Mr. Stark teases, setting down his spoon into his empty bowl. "I think I've seen chimps make a better knot than you."

"Hey! Not true!" Peter retorts back with a smile. "It's probably better than how you tie yours. I think Ms. Potts or Happy has to tie them for you."

"Thin ice, kid. You better take that back," Mr. Stark continues, ready to mock Peter more.

"Nope," Peter pops the p before finishing off his cone.

"Oh it's on kid."

And even though it was not how Peter expected his night to go- full of disappointment followed by cheering up by Legos and Star Wars - Peter was more content than ever to learn ten different ways to tie a tie from Mr. Stark. Even when he messed 50 times.