Archive of Our Own ^beta

Happy was out of commission—or better put, Happy was on a much-needed vacation. This meant that for the last three days, Pepper or Tony had been picking Peter up from school. Of course, they did so inconspicuously because the last thing they needed was a media frenzy sparked by the sight of Tony Stark outside a high school. Not to mention, the inevitable speculation about why Iron Man was chauffeuring a teenager around.

Tony had been bitching about it all week long. "Do you know what it’s like to drive a suburban mom car? With jet black tinted windows, no less? It’s humiliating, Pep! Not even a single gadget, just—ugh—cupholders!" Tony complained one evening, flopping dramatically onto the couch. "Whoever thought those seats were comfortable clearly has never had to actually sit in them."

Pepper just smiled knowingly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, stop it, Tony. You know you secretly enjoy it."

Tony scoffed, looking away to hide the small smile that tugged at his lips. "Yeah, right. You keep telling yourself that."

But Peter and Pepper both knew the truth—Tony secretly loved the domesticity of it. There was something grounding about the simplicity of it all, something that Tony would never admit out loud without an extreme amount of coaxing or force, but it went without saying. Peter enjoyed it too. It was nice, in a way that made him feel like a regular kid for a change. There was something oddly comforting about seeing Tony, of all people, pulling up in a regular car to pick him up, as if they were just any other family.

Of course, Flash had, as expected, started making jokes. "What happened to your fancy intern ride, Parker?" he'd jeered in the hallway, loud enough for the whole school to hear. "Did your lie get too expensive to keep up? Gonna tell me you're sleeping with soccer moms to keep your Stark Internship?" That one had thoroughly pissed Peter off, but like most insults that left Flash's mouth, he ignored it. 

Peter clenched his fists, resisting the urge to snap back. Why couldn’t Flash just consider the possibility that maybe Peter wasn’t lying? He'd spent way too much time since middle school trying to figure out why Flash hated him, trying to see if there was anything he could do to fix it—but he always came up short.

May had once told Peter that people like Flash usually project their problems onto others because it’s easier to see the ugly in someone else than it is in ourselves. Peter knew she was right—she always was. That was just another reason why Peter let the bully get away with his taunts and teasing. Sure, Flash's words pissed him off on occasion, and sometimes things got physical, but it was nothing Peter couldn’t handle. Meeting someone who wasn’t enhanced and taking the brunt of it wouldn’t be fair—so Peter took it. He could handle it. He had to.

Besides, it was only school. And although that was a decent chunk of his day, the rest more than made up for the crappy parts. Peter lived at the Stark Industries Tower now, Tony and Pepper had become parental figures for him, May was happy at her new job in California, and Tony was slowly but surely letting him meet the Avengers upstate at the compound. Life was great. He could handle a high school bully, especially when in all other aspects of his life he was actually respected.

So when Flash bugged him again later in the day, shoving Peter against the lockers, Peter was only mildly annoyed. Flash had made it his personal mission to mess with Peter at any chance he could, but it was Friday, and Peter was very much looking forward to whatever the weekend would hold for him.

"What are you? Incompetent?" Flash sneered, his voice dripping with disdain as he pressed Peter harder against the cold metal lockers. Peter glanced at his bully, momentarily confused. Honestly, when Flash hassled him like this, Peter tended to zone out. It kept him from feeling angry or mad, and not focusing on what was happening meant it often hurt less. Sure, he was enhanced, but that didn’t keep him from feeling any of the blows, physical or emotional.

Flash tightened his grip on Peter’s collar, his face contorting into an ugly scowl. "You think you’re better than me, don’t you? Just because you tell everyone you got Stark to notice you?" Flash spat, his words laced with jealousy and bitterness.

Peter looked at Flash, his brown eyes calm but sharp. "Just let me go, Flash. I have things I need to do," Peter countered, his voice steady but firm. He was pinned against the lockers in the now-empty high school hallway, Flash's grip not loosening. Peter had a little bit of a time cushion, but there was a board of directors meeting this afternoon, and Tony had asked him to come sit in on it with him. There was no way he was going to let Flash make him miss it.

"You think you’re so special, Parker?" Flash hissed, his breath hot against Peter’s face. "But you’re nothing—just a loser orphan. It makes sense why you pretend to know Tony Stark. You don't have anything else going for you."

Peter felt a flash of anger but quickly buried it. He wasn’t going to let Flash get to him. Not today. "Maybe," Peter said quietly, his voice almost a whisper, "but at least I'm a good person."

Flash’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Peter thought he was going to punch him. But then, Flash’s phone rang, and just like that, the moment was over. Flash’s hands were off Peter’s body, reaching for his phone. Peter didn’t wait for another opportunity to slide away, bolting out of the side school door before Flash could say anything.

He had to swing to the tower today, which was fine. Favorable even. Although he did love being picked up, especially by Tony and Pepper, there was no feeling quite like swinging through the tall gray buildings. The wind rushing past him, the cityscape blurring into streaks of steel and glass—it was exhilarating. Plus, the most traffic Peter had to deal with was the occasional bird getting in the way. What was typically a forty-minute commute turned into a fifteen-minute swing through the city. He even stopped by a hotdog stand where Mr. D had a hot dog wrapped up and sitting on the rooftop for Spidey to come snag. In its place, Peter left a five-dollar bill, the exchange so routine it was almost like clockwork.

"Thanks, Mr. D!" Peter called down to the hotdog vendor, his voice muffled by the mask. Mr. D just waved up at him, a grin on his face as Peter swung away.

By the time Peter reached the third alleyway from the tower, he was slinking behind a heavy metal door. It was the basement of an office building that Tony owned. That first-floor back entrance had once housed a supply closet and spare room for office parts, but now it was something entirely different—Tony called it “The Web: Homebase.” There was a Web 2.0 that looked like an abandoned bodega two blocks down from his school as well, and one more on another end of the city, just to be safe. Between Peter constantly webbing up his backpacks and then losing them, forgetting to eat enough during the day, or on the off chance of needing somewhere to go while he waited for backup, the Web locations had been pretty instrumental.

Tony had outfitted them all with KAREN (Peter’s AI) and FRIDAY (Tony’s AI), a vending machine full of Banner and Cho-approved snacks (plus the ones Tony knew Peter liked), a rather hefty first aid kit, and a really comfortable couch. It was like having a little piece of the tower no matter where he was.

"Welcome back, Peter," KAREN's voice greeted him as he stepped inside. The soft hum of the AI’s voice was always comforting. "All systems are normal. You have approximately thirty-five minutes before the board meeting begins."

"Thanks, KAREN," Peter said, his voice a little breathless from the swing. He quickly changed out of his suit and back into his school clothes. The suit folded in on itself in seconds, the advanced fabric technology never failing to impress him.

"You should eat something before the meeting," KAREN advised a hint of concern in her tone.

Peter grabbed a granola bar from the vending machine, tearing it open as he headed back to the door. "I’m on it. Thanks, KAREN."

"Anytime, Peter," the AI responded warmly.

Peter was slipping back out into the city upon being given a "clear coast" alert from the AIs, his mind already shifting to the board meeting and the chance to spend time with Tony. As he swung towards the tower, his thoughts drifted back to Flash and the day’s events. He knew he could handle the bullying—he had to—but sometimes, it was hard not to let it get to him.

Peter couldn’t remember the last time he’d just walked through the tower’s front door. Considering he was typically driven home from school by Happy or swung in through the balcony after a patrol, the front entrance was something he was barely accustomed to. As he stood on the sidewalk directly in front of the tower, he couldn’t stop himself from marveling at the skyscraper. Despite being a resident, it was rare for him to take it all in from this point of view, and Peter was certain that the sight would never grow old.

His watch chirped, reminding him that it was three o’clock and the meeting would start in thirty minutes. He had plenty of time to get upstairs, drop his things off, and meet up with Tony and Pepper for the meeting. Grinning to himself, Peter stepped towards the front door. The sleek black tiles inside practically shimmered against the sunlight filtering through the large windows. Everything about Stark Tower screamed modernity and elegance, from the polished surfaces to the subtle hum of cutting-edge technology integrated into every inch of the building.

As he entered, Peter couldn’t help but notice how out of place he looked. His disheveled curly hair, the ratty backpack slung over his shoulders, and his typical genius-teenager outfit clashed with the pristine, professional environment. The security guards at their posts eyed him warily, and Peter could feel their stares boring into him, making him shrink back a little. He was used to being invisible at school, blending into the background, but here… here he stood out like a sore thumb.

To gain access to the rest of the lobby, there were two desks: one for guest services and another for security. Most employees walked straight through the security gates, scanning their badges at a FRIDAY Station before passing through a scanner where FRIDAY no doubt checked their credentials and personal items before allowing them access to the leading technology company in the world.

But as Peter patted his pockets, realization dawned on him, and his heart sank. He had totally forgotten his badge back in his room—98 floors above him and utterly useless at the moment. Groaning inwardly, Peter knew that his only option was to approach the security desk if he wanted to make it to the meeting on time.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," Peter muttered under his breath as he trudged towards the desk. His heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he prepared himself for the conversation he knew was coming.

The security officer at the desk, a gruff-looking man with a stern expression, raised an eyebrow as Peter approached. "Young man?" the officer questioned, his voice tinged with suspicion.

Peter offered a sheepish smile, his cheeks blazing. "I left my security badge on my desk upstairs—" (not quite a lie) "—but I have a meeting to get to in twenty-five minutes, and I really can’t be late."

The security man stared at him hard, his gaze unwavering. For a moment, Peter wondered if he’d said all that in his head. Surely this was a simple fix—Peter didn’t even technically need the badge. That’s why it was on his desk and not in his bag. All he needed was to get through the scanner to where FRIDAY was fully operational because the AI only worked beyond the security desk due to past incidents involving unauthorized individuals bombarding the AI with questions.

"Son, this is a place of business. Take your silly child’s games elsewhere," the guard warned, glancing back towards the front doors as if expecting Peter to turn around and leave.

Peter felt his heart sink a little further. "I promise, sir. I work here. FRIDAY can vouch for me," Peter replied earnestly, glancing down at his watch and feeling the minutes tick away, each one pushing him closer to being late.

The guard folded his arms across his chest, his expression hardening. "The building’s AI only works if it can scan your ID card. Look, kid, I’ve been working here for three years now. I know how to do my job, and I’ve never seen you before."

Peter's brow furrowed in frustration. "That’s because I don’t normally come in this way. Usually, Happy—wait! Yes! Your boss, Mr. Hogan, typically drives me in, but he’s on vacation," Peter spoke up, trying to sound confident, oblivious to the security guard’s growing irritation.

The guard’s eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "I can assure you that information you can get off some Reddit thread is not going to impress me, kid. You’re not the first person to try and sneak into the tower. I advise you to leave before I’m forced to have you banned from all SI locations and escorted off the premises."

Peter could see that two other guards had started making their way over to him, their postures tense as they approached. He could feel his frustration boiling over. This wasn’t just some prank—this was a board of directors meeting, and he couldn’t just skip out on it. Not when Tony and Pepper had actually asked him to be present.

"Look, I get you guys are just trying to do your jobs, but seriously, I work here… and I don’t really—I don’t really think banning me is even possible. I’m not sure how that would work because—okay, I’m getting off track, that’s not the point. The point is that I have a super important meeting that starts in—" Peter glanced at his watch again, his voice growing more urgent, "—in like twelve minutes, and if I’m not there, you’re gonna make some really important people wait, and then my mom and dad are probably not going to be happy—which, let me tell you, would probably not be great for any of us. So, if you’d just let me through the scanner, FRIDAY could clear this all up for us."

The three security guards all looked at him with equal parts annoyance and exasperation, clearly unimpressed by how he’d managed to get all that out in two breaths. "Kid, this is Stark Industries, not your middle school. We don’t care about your parents and who they are; we care about the safety of this building."

Peter wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation—if only they knew who his "parents" were—but he was more focused on the ticking clock. He had less than ten minutes to get upstairs, and at this rate, he was definitely going to be late.

Running a hand through his disheveled curls, Peter felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. Reaching for it, he saw "IronDad" flash across the screen—Tony’s doing, of course. No doubt, Tony was calling because he'd been alerted that Peter had entered the tower but hadn’t shown up in Pepper’s office like they’d agreed. Peter went to answer the call, but before he could, the phone was quickly snatched from his hands by the security guard, his two buddies standing behind him like they were ready to pounce at any moment.

"Hey! That’s mine!" Peter protested, his voice tinged with frustration and desperation. He couldn’t believe this was happening—he was in Stark Tower, for crying out loud, and they were treating him like some random intruder.

The security guard held the phone out of Peter’s reach, his expression unyielding. "You’ll get this back once the police have arrived."

Peter’s heart raced, panic rising in his chest. He couldn’t be late. Not for this. And he definitely didn't need to police getting involved. "You don’t understand, I—"

“Kid, we’ve asked you already to please leave the premises. Unauthorized technology on Stark Industries property is strictly prohibited, and we more than have grounds to have you arrested—” The security guard rambled on, his tone dripping with smugness. Peter might have continued listening if it weren’t for his super hearing picking up on another voice.

“Peter? Kid... who is that? Where are you? FRIDAY has you in the tower, but uh, I’m standing in Pep’s office waiting for you and—Who is talking like that? Kid? Hello? … FRIDAY, what’s going on?” Peter could hear Tony on the other end of the line, his voice laced with growing concern. Clearly, Peter had managed to connect the call right before the phone had been snatched from his hands. As much trouble as he knew these guards were about to be in, Peter was at least grateful that the situation could get sorted out before the cops got involved.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as he felt the security guard grabbing him. A glimpse of shiny metal handcuffs made Peter’s heart race. He realized he’d tuned out the part where they’d mentioned detaining him until the police arrived. The main security guard reached for Peter’s wrist to clasp the first cuff around it just as a familiar voice came through the speakers.

“Officer Walters, please step away from the child. The bosses are on their way down,” FRIDAY’s calm, Irish lilt filled the space, startling everyone in the lobby. Employees knew that FRIDAY typically didn’t operate in the lobby, so her voice in this area was unusual and caught everyone’s attention. All eyes were now on the altercation unfolding in front of the security station. While the lobby wasn’t packed, there were enough people—employees heading to or from lunch and a few guests in line at the service desk—to witness the scene. Peter groaned internally as the security guards exchanged smug looks.

“You’re going to wish you’d just left, kid. The bosses never come down here,” Officer Walters sneered, handing the handcuffs back to the other officer. The third officer just shook his head, his hand resting on his taser like he was ready to use it at a moment’s notice.

Peter couldn’t help the sarcastic remark that left his lips. “You’re going to wish you’d listened to me in the first place.”

All three officers snapped their eyes to him, one even beginning to pull his taser out.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

All eyes were now on Tony Stark himself, striding into the lobby with an air of authority that left no room for argument. Everyone, bar Peter, was a little gobsmacked by the appearance of the big boss himself. While spotting Tony around the tower wasn’t uncommon, it was rare to see him in the lobby, especially dealing with security.

“Sir, you didn’t have to come all the way down. We have this idiot under control. The police are on their way,” the third officer spoke proudly, as if expecting praise for his handling of the situation.

Peter could see the steam practically rolling off Tony, and he wondered how on earth the security guards weren’t picking up on this. Surely, they couldn’t actually believe Tony Stark would be this mad at a kid trying to break into his tower—even though that wasn’t even close to what was going on.

“They’re not—and thank God for that because they have actual jobs to do around the city,” Tony replied tersely, his tone sharp enough to cut glass.

“B-But sir, how would you like us to take care of him? He’s using unauthorized technology on the property, won’t leave when asked, and has been hostile with us,” Officer Walters said, waving Peter’s phone around like a trophy.

“Take care of? Hostile? Peter?—” Tony started to ask, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Kid, just come on, we’ve got a meeting to go to and Pepper should be here momentarily to deal with all of this." 

Peter moved to comply, but Officer Walters’ hand clamped down harshly on his shoulder, and then everything seemed to happen at once.

“Sir, he could be a threat!”

“Stop him!”

“Ow!”

But the officers’ and even Peter’s complaints were drowned out by two voices that cut through the tower lobby with fierce authority.

“Don’t touch him!”

“Absolutely not.”

The hand on Peter’s shoulder was abruptly gone, and he found himself being pulled into someone’s embrace. The familiar scent of vanilla mixed with a comforting presence told him all he needed to know—Pepper was holding him protectively against her chest. Lifting his head slightly, Peter could see Tony with an Iron Man hand gauntlet fitted around his hand, the repulsor aimed directly at the security guard.

You could have heard a pin drop in the lobby as silence fell over everyone present.

“Why don’t you take a look at that phone in your hand that you so selfishly helped yourself to—show your friends too,” Tony ordered, his words clipped and tense.

The security guard glanced down at Peter’s phone, his face paling as he noticed the familiar SI arc reactor logo glowing on the back. It was a model that had yet to be released to the public, yet was being advertised across the world right now. He flipped the phone over, his eyes widening as he saw the call still active on the screen. Peter knew exactly what they were looking at: the contact name "IronDad" in bold letters, alongside a picture that would clear everything up. The image was from just a few weeks ago—Peter, Tony, and Pepper, taken after a mission gone wrong had temporarily turned Peter into a toddler. The picture showed Peter being held by Pepper, with Tony kissing his cheek, everything about it screaming family.

“S-sir, I’m so sorry. We had no idea!” the guard stammered, his voice trembling as the other two officers attempted to help, their earlier confidence evaporating.

Tony raised his hand to silence the trio, his expression cold. “Yeah, and instead of going through any of the alternative procedures for checking employees into the building, you decided you knew best. Now the three most important people in the building are late to a board of directors meeting.”

Peter nearly choked at being included in the "most important people in the building." He was just a kid… but he quickly realized Tony was making a point.

“So if you’ll excuse us, we don’t have time for this right now, but I’m sure you can expect something by the end of the day,” Tony added, holding his arm out for Peter. Pepper was already ushering Peter towards Tony, and Peter figured that had been the plan all along. While Tony was Iron Man, Pepper was herself, and she was equally as terrifying when she wanted to be.

“End of day, I want apology letters typed and on my desk for how you treated my kid. We’ll proceed from there,” Pepper stated firmly, her voice leaving no room for negotiation.

The security guards all nodded hurriedly, their earlier bravado completely gone as Tony, Pepper, and Peter turned to leave.

As they headed towards the elevator, Peter felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of belonging. He might be just a kid in the grand scheme of things, but to Tony and Pepper, he was family. And that meant everything.

The elevator doors closed behind them, the tension from the lobby incident seemed to dissipate, leaving only the soft hum of the elevator in the background. Tony let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair as he turned to Peter, his expression a mix of relief and lingering concern.

"Kid, you okay?" Tony asked, his voice softer now, all traces of his earlier frustration gone. He reached out, gently rubbing Peter on the shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring.

Peter nodded, offering a small smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just… that was kind of a lot," he admitted, his voice quieter than usual.

Pepper, who had been standing on Peter’s other side, immediately smiled softly, her hands gently cupping his face. "Sweetheart, I’m so sorry you had to go through that," she said, her eyes filled with worry. "They shouldn’t have treated you like that, and I’m going to make sure it never happens again."

Peter felt his heart swell at the care in her voice. He leaned into her touch, feeling comforted by her presence. "It’s okay, really. I’m just glad you guys showed up when you did," he replied, his voice a little steadier now.

Pepper gave him a warm smile, her thumb brushing lightly against his cheek. "Of course we did. We’re always going to be here for you, Peter. You’re—" She caught herself, hesitating for just a second, "— our kid and you’re important to us."

Peter noticed the hesitation, he understood. He felt the same way. 

"Pep’s right, kiddo. You mean a lot to us, and we’re not going to let anyone mess with you. Not on our watch," Tony said, his voice filled with a mix of affection and protectiveness.

Peter swallowed, feeling a lump form in his throat. "Thanks, Da—" He hesitated for a brief moment, the word on the tip of his tongue. He almost said it, almost called them Dad and Mom, but instead, he cleared his throat and smiled. "—guys. I… I really appreciate it."

Pepper caught the slight hesitation, but she didn’t push it. Neither did Tony. Instead, they smiled, and Pepper gently brushed a stray curl away from his forehead. "Anytime, Petey-Pie. And don’t worry about the board meeting. If you’re not feeling up to it, you don’t have to go."

Peter shook his head quickly, not wanting to miss out on something so important. "No, I’m good! I want to be there," he insisted, straightening up as if to prove he was ready.

Tony chuckled softly, ruffling Peter’s hair in that affectionate, slightly messy way he knew drove Peter nuts. "Alright, alright. But after the meeting, we’re ordering in whatever you want for dinner. Consider it a reward for surviving the lobby debacle," Tony said with a wink.

Peter grinned, the earlier tension in his chest finally easing up. "Anything I want?" he asked, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Anything," Tony confirmed, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.