NOTES:
Sorry if this isn't up to my usual standard. I haven't written in a while and am also jet lagged and writing on my phone so…
Anyway
Enjoy :)
After moving the Avengers stuff upstate in Homecoming, the ex-Avengers tower became the Stark Industries Tower once again.
—
As the last bell rung on Tuesday afternoon, Peter dashed out of school excitedly. Despite spending Tuesdays and Friday after school at Stark Tower, Peter was always eager to go and spend time with Mr Sta- Tony.
Ignoring Flash's insults as he dashed past him, Peter dodged the various students blocking the halls. He eventually had to slow down and impatiently wait for the throng of students but the door to dissipate. Which, unfortunately, meant Flash caught up with him.
"Hey Penis, what's the rush? Where you going?" Flash roughly hit the back of his head and Peter faked a grimace of pain.
"None of your business Flash." He muttered, begging the kids to move faster.
"Are you off to your internship" Flash mocked, a cruel smirk on his face. "Off to hang out with your Avenger buddies?"
"Where you off to Flash?" MJ interrupted from behind them. "Off to wallow into your jealousy?" Flash attempted to glare at her but MJ just stared back unamused.
"I'm not jealous." Flash mumbled as they finally made it through the doors. Flash moving away rather quickly.
"Have fun at your internship loser." MJ stated, gazing at him with disturbingly knowing eyes.
"Thanks." Peter smiled at her, inwardly fretting about his identity. He turned into an alley, going down to the end of it and hiding behind a corner.
Peter pulled open his backpack and fondly ran his hand over the familiar mask. A grin spread over his face and he tugged out the suit and changed into it, shoving his bulkier clothes into his bag. He had begun to wear a thin layer of clothing under whatever he wore, so he wasn't completely naked in the suit. Standing up he pulled the mask over his face and the suit vacuumed itself to his body. The HUD flickered to life in his eyes and a familiar voice greeted him.
"Hello Peter, it's really great to see you again and happy anniversary"
"Thanks KAREN," he answered happily. She was referring to it being a year since he had met KAREN, and a year since what had been dubbed the 'Vulture Incident'. Peter pulled his bag onto his back and began to walk up the side of the building, casually clipping his backpack securely to his body.
"Are we heading to Stark Tower again?"
"Yep." Peter nodded as he cartwheeled over the edge of the building and onto the roof. "I think I'll work on some more web fluid."
"Once you finish your homework of course."
"Definitely," Peter laughed slightly, beginning to run to the edge of the building. "Homework first."
Peter leapt of the side of the roof. The wind whipping at him as he began to fall to the traffic below. The usual cries of shock or delight from pedestrians below greeting him as he fell. Almost a meter from the roof of the car beneath him, Peter whipped out his wrist, a string of sticky webbing shooting out to attach to the nearest building. The familiar momentum comforted him as he swung towards the large building with STARK adorning the side.
The impact with the building shook Peter slightly as he began to climb up to the desired window.
"Two more floors." KAREN said helpfully. Peter nodded slightly and crawled up to the window he knew FRIDAY would open. He jumped inside the familiar room.
"Thank you FRIDAY." Peter said as he pulled off his mask, saying goodbye to KAREN as he did so.
"Anytime Peter, unfortunately Boss had an emergency with the Accords council and will be a bit late today. However, he encourages you to work in the lab if you would like."
Peter nodded, slightly put out as he chucked his bag on a nearby couch. Tony had kept the Penthouse on top of the tower the same. Living in it for most of his time in New York. Peter stretched slightly as he headed to the fridge. Grabbing a snack, which he ate while simultaneously changing back into his regular clothes. Once done, he headed down to the lab.
After Homecoming, Peter and Tony had begun to grow closer. Tony had invited him over more and more often. In his words "might as well bring some truth to the idea of you having an internship at SI" but Peter had a theory that he managed to get FRIDAY to confirm. Tony just really like his company. After less than a month of working there, Tony had even set up a portion on his own lab specifically for Peter to work at.
"Hey guys." He greeted Tony's various bots who beeped at him thrilled for the company. Another smile adorned his face as they all clustered around him.
"Guys, I have homework." He laughed as they followed him to his desk. "I'll hang out with you after it's done. How's that sound?" There were several beeps which Peter interpreted as reluctant acceptance. He buckled slightly, pulling his books out of his backpack. Then he spotted the bag.
It was a familiar paper bag that instantly made Peter think of when Tony had left his suit on his bed at home. He hesitantly unraveled the top and looked inside. Peter inhaled sharply as he pulled the dark silver bands out of the bag. They were the same colour as his usual web shooters and the spider on the chest of him current suit. Inside was also a piece of paper and a bundle of cloth. He pulled it out and began to read.
Hi Pete.
Sorry I'm not there right now, the council can be real assholes idiots sometimes.
Anyway. I thought it was kind of pointless for this to exist and not be used. Besides it doesn't exactly fit me.
Shame I'm not there to see your face when you use it, but I was too impatient to wait until this meeting was over.
Enjoy
-TS
P.s flick for basic, double tap for the works.
P.p.s For the works you might want to be wear the other thing in the bag.
Peter's heart began to accelerate with anticipation. Quickly he pulled out the bundle of cloth. It was a new jacket. Peter paused, slightly confused, but shrugged it off. He slipped out of his current jacket and pulled the new one on. It was a dark grey that was actually closer to black, with bright red and electric blue lines on it, the Stark logo on the front. It hugged his body, pressing down on his shirt and when he zipped it up, making the shirt completely smooth over his body.
"Awesome." Peter breathed. He pulled on the metal wrist bands and examined them closely. Once around his wrist they shrunk so they cocooned his skin. There were small circles on both of them, a darker grey compared to the rest of the band. Holding his breath in anticipation, he flicked out his wrist. The band immediately transformed into a web shooter, the other band following suit. Peter practically squealed in excitement.
"Oh my god!" He cried, rubbing the bands in excitement. Once he had calmed down, Peter raised his wrist and double tapped the circle.
What happened next almost made him faint.
As if it were liquid, metal rapidly flowed from the bands. It covered his body in red and blue armour. As it formed around his head, Peter was practically screaming with excitement. A somehow improved HUD flickered to life in front of him and KAREN greeted him once more.
"Hello Peter, I see you've found your Iron Spider suit."
Peter didn't reply, instead examining the suit's design.
"Mr Stark has asked me to tell you that this suit has lots of new features, most prominently the nanotech additions. Also the bands are coded to your body data and cannot be accessed by any other."
Peter nodded eagerly, already rushing back upstairs. The bots beeped in surprise as he passed them and, anticipating his reaction, FRIDAY had already opened that usual window. Without hesitating Peter jumped out of the window and swung up to the top of the building to test the new gadgets.
His homework lay forgotten on the table.
Peter woke up late the next day, exhausted from fiddling with the new suit the previous night and then remembering his homework and working on that until past midnight. He yawned as he shoved his books into his bag. For the first time in months, leaving his red and blue suit in his closet, instead wearing the new jacket and wrist bands. Tiredly, he began to make his way to the kitchen to find a note on the table.
Had to leave early. Don't be late for school!
Love
May
Peter smiled and glanced at his watch. Horrified he began to run to the front door, he only had 17 minutes before the start of school and it normally took 15 to walk there. He slammed the door behind him, jumping down the empty flights of stairs to the ground 2 floors below. As he left the building he made a quick decision. Slipping into the alleyway, he zipped up his jacket and double tapped the bands. The Iron Spider formed around him and he began to swing as fast as he could.
"Peter, you have an incoming call from Tony Stark."
"Uh, sure put him through KAREN."
The image of Tony appeared in his vision and he slowed slightly in his movement.
"Hey kid." Tony looked up from whatever he was working on. "Sorry about yesterday."
"No problem Mr S-Tony. Thank you so much for the suit. Seriously, it is the coolest thing ever." Tony laughed.
"Apparently you're using it right now. Whatever happened to school?"
"Um. I'm actually running late, so I'm swinging there."
"Fair enough. I'll go then, you have too many tardies as it is."
"Did you want to tell me something?" Prompted Peter.
"Mostly just checking in. There was so- actually no. You'll find out today anyway." Tony smiled mysteriously. Peter blinked confused.
"What?"
"It's 8:23" interrupted Karen. Peter cursed.
"Language." Tony said carelessly. "I have to get going. Have fun at school Spiderling."
"Thanks." Peter smiled as the call ended. The smile was quickly replaced by a look of terror as his eyes flicked to the time displayed on his vision. Gracefully he backflipped to his usual alley, landing in a crouch. Jumping up, Peter deactivated his suit and ran into school.
The news Peter assumed Tony was referring to was revealed at the Decathlon meeting. MJ was quizzing people on various questions. But Mr Harrington interrupted.
"So team. Sorry to intrude but I have an excellent announcement!" Everyone perked up at that, MJ, appearing to already know the news, was murmuring to herself as she shuffled the cards.
"What?" Asked Cindy curiously.
"Well. We are going to go to a talk from a representative of MIT." Everyone was talking to each other excitedly at the news, especially considering pretty much all of them had MIT as their dream school.
"That's pretty cool right?" Ned muttered to Peter who nodded, unable to keep his mind from wandering to his new suit.
"But that's not all." Gushed Mr Harrington. "The talk will be given not here, but at Stark Tower!" The talking increased at those words to a whole new level of excitement.
"Dude!" Ned whispered to him, eyes wide. Peter was thinking about all the different ways Tony would be able to embarrass him.
"And." Continued Mr Harrington, swelling with eagerness to say the next words. "A speech will be given by famous alumni, Tony Stark!"
If someone had walked by the classroom they were in, they would have been very confused about the screaming teenagers inside. Ned was freaking out himself.
"Tony Stark!" He squealed to Peter.
"You have met him before." Pointed out Peter.
"But still," Ned protested, "It will be super incredibly awesome." Peter smiled at his friends enthusiasm, but his mind was still on the very high chance of Tony embarrassing him.
"So Penis." Flash leaned over and smirked at Peter. "How is it going to feel when everyone realizes you were lying? What about when Stark doesn't recognise you?" Ned glared at him.
"Peter isn't lying Flash."
"Right, have fun telling that to Tony Stark."
The field trip was taking place this Friday. Which was unusual in itself for being so soon. But according to Mr Harrington, it was because this was planned pretty last minute. May had signed the permission slip they had gotten looking slightly amused at the expression on Peter's face.
"I'll ask Tony not to embarrass you." May insisted, Peter sighed.
"That is very unlikely to work but thank you."
On Friday, Peter actually arrived early, but that was mainly because Ned made him since he wanted to talk about the Iron Spider.
"That is the most amazing thing ever." He sighed as Peter finished describing it. "I never knew that Mr Stark was so good at designing jackets." Peter laughed at Ned's comment. But Flash appeared next to him sneering.
"I bet Penis go that jacket off eBay. It looks trashy enough for that."
"I'm sure you would know all about trashy clothes right Flash?" MJ answered from where she was reading a couple of feet away, Flash went red but he knew better than to argue with the head of the Decathlon team, let alone to argue with MJ.
"Thanks MJ." Peter said for what felt like the millionth time.
"Whatever Loser, just stick up for yourself sometimes. It's not like you're weak or anything." That comment threw Peter off for a second.
"Right."
"Okay everyone," Mr Harrington called them over to the waiting bus. "We have to get going." They all began to pile onto the bus. Peter felt a mounting worry. Not only for previous mentioned reasons, but it isn't like he had the best history with field trips. Besides, something in him felt a sense of foreboding about today.
When they arrived at Stark Tower, Peter began to rummage in his bag for his ID card. Finding it, he slid it into his pocket, sighing for what was about to come.
They were greeted by a smiling Intern that Peter didn't really know.
"Hello everyone, my name is Morgan, and I'll be taking you upstairs to where the speech is." He began to hand out white cards stamped with each persons name and the word GUEST in the SI font. Everyone got one except for Peter who, clipped his to the front of his jacket, trying to hide the fact that is was personalised.
"Now, these badges are very important. If our head of security catches you without it he won't be very happy." Morgan smirked slight at the pun, Peter snickered, much to the confusion of everyone else. "Please clip them to the outside of your jackets. Now, the speeches will be given on the balcony of level 79 which if the highest level before Mr Starks penthouse." Betty raised her hand.
"Why is it being given so high up?"
"Well, Mr Stark actually set up an entire stage there. The reason he gave was that because it is the nicest lounge level for employees, the smartest students can go there? He has weird reasoning sometimes."
Flash waved his hand in the air until Morgan nodded at him.
"Do you know an intern called Peter Parker?" At Flash's question, Peter groaned.
"Well no." Morgan began, Flash sent a triumphant look at Peter. "But I've heard some of the head interns talk about him. I believe they refer to him as Mr Stark's protégée and personal intern." Everyone stared at Peter in shock and Peter felt like dying then and there.
"Wow Peter you never said that!" Gaped Abe. At the name, Morgan looked at Peter as well.
"Wait, you're Peter Parker?" Peter nodded horrified at the situation. "Wow, that's awesome man." Apparently noticing Peter's discomfort, Morgan steered the conversation back to the speeches.
"Now if you'll follow me," Morgan led them to the security check and everyone filed through one by one. Flash turned to Peter.
"How much did you pay Morgan to say that?" Peter shook his head in denial. "Whatever Parker, I'll prove you're lying."
Leaving the elevator at floor 79, Morgan led them to a group of chairs set out in front of a foot high stage. Everyone sat down, Peter sitting in the furthest seat from the stage and edge of the balcony. Glancing around, he saw there were several members of the press there for whatever reason. This wasn't the biggest news story and yet. His phone buzzed and Peter stealthily glanced at it. There was a message from Tony.
Come round the back of the stage.
Peter glanced at Mr Harrington, he was talking to the press with Morgan about Midtown. The rest of the team were all quizzing one another on physics. Peter glanced at Ned.
"I'm going to talk to Tony, if Mr Harrington asks just tell him I'm at the back of the stage." Ned nodded, in awe of what he just said.
Peter walked around the back of the stage, with all the stealth of Spider-Man. Tony was talking to a intelligent looking woman, presumably the representative of MIT, he kept on gesturing to his chest, making Peter assume they were talking about his new nanotech suit installed to his chest within an Arc Reactor. Colonel Rhodes was also there, occasionally adding to the conversation. Peter cleared his throat and they stopped talking, Tony grinned at the sight of him.
"Hey Pete." He walked over to him, putting an arm around his shoulder and leading him to the woman.
"Susan, this is the boy genius I was talking about." Peter immediately went bright red at the praise. "Smartest kid I've ever met. Helps me with half of the Avengers upgrades and, before I knew Spider-Man, they were friends and he designed Spidey's web fluid and web shooters. I'd even give SI to him just to make sure it will head in the right direction. Besides he's practically family anyway" At the last comment, Peter's heart practically stopped.
"Calm down Stark, the boy might die of embarrassment." Laughed Susan. She held out a hand. "Hello, I'm Susan Adler, head of MIT's science department." Peter shook her hand.
"I'm Peter Parker."
"Parker?"
"My parents were scientists." Peter explained, Susan nodded in recognition.
"So I just wanted you guys to meet. Cause seriously, this kid should already be in MIT." Tony laughed slightly and Peter immediately went bright red again. Someone with a clipboard interrupted the conversation.
"Ms Adler, it's time." Susan sighed, straightening her skirt and smiling at them before stepping onto the stage.
"Did you mean that?" Peter found himself asking.
"Mean what?" Tony asked slightly confused.
"That I'm the smartest kid you've ever met." Peter said, the words sounded stupid with him saying them. Tony smiled at him.
"Every word kid."
"Every word?" Peter repeated, thinking of what Tony said about Peter being family.
"Every word." Confirmed Tony.
At Tony's answer, Peter felt joy explode in him. Before he knew it, he had hugged Tony. Tony was surprised for a second, but he accepted the hug, ruffling Peter's hair.
"C'mon Kid, get back to your seat. I need to go be inspirational to the next generation." Peter nodded, a stupid grin on his face. Rhodes laughed slightly.
"I'll come back round with you. Can't watch from back here."
Rhodes began to walk back around Peter followed after him.
"Why aren't you giving a speech, you're alumni." Rhodes grimaced slightly.
"Tony is better at inspiring speeches than I am." Peter nodded in understanding.
"Fair enough." He waved slightly to Rhodes as he headed back to his chair. The eyes of the team flicking to him and his happy expression as they listened to the speech. Peter wasn't especially listening to Susan talk though. Instead he was thinking about what Tony had said. The more he thought about it, the more he swelled with pride. Ned kept on looking at him, wanting to know what had happened behind the stage. When Susan stopped speaking and there was applause, Ned whispered.
"What'd he say?"
In answer Peter just grinned at Ned. The applause seemed to increase as Tony stepped onto the stage, he was giving them all his best media smile. He caught Peter's eye and winked, Peter smiled back. Tony began his speech about the future of technology and how they would change the world and how amazing MIT was. Peter bet that he hadn't written the speech himself. Tony was halfway through talking about the course projects he had done at MIT when Peter froze.
Something was wrong.
He looked around frantically, trying to find what was suddenly making his Spidey Sense go haywire. Peter began to scan the buildings around them. His eyes widened as he saw something that made his blood turn cold.
"No!" He cried, leaping to his feet, everyone stared at him for a second before there was a loud bang and Tony jerked as a sniper hit him in the chest.
The effect was instantaneous. Everyone began to scream and stare in horror at the limp billionaire. Peter was running to the stage, he knew Rhodes would be close behind him. Barely a second later, the stage exploded in a shower of splinters. This explosion immediately sent the entire tower into lockdown, metal doors closing on the exits the audience were trying to escape through. But that wasn't worrying Peter.
Because the explosion had blown back the only person left on stage.
And Tony Stark had disappeared over the edge of the balcony.