Chapter Text
“I’m not a model.”
But apparently now he was. Well, soon to be one. This could not get any more embarrassing.
Peter never thought he’d get used to cameras flashing in his face, but lately, it was becoming part of his new reality. This time, however, it wasn’t paparazzi catching him off guard on the streets—it was an actual, professional photoshoot Tony had “casually” set up for him.
“Relax, kid,” Tony said from the sidelines, leaning back in a chair with sunglasses on even though they were indoors. “You’re not modeling socks for a mall catalog. You’re selling cool. Just… be yourself. Or, you know, a version of yourself that doesn’t look like you’re trying not to sneeze.”
Peter rolled his eyes, tugging on the denim jacket they had styled him in. The studio was cold, and the photographer had explained that today’s shoot would use colored smoke for “visual energy.” He hadn’t really understood what that meant until one of the assistants handed him two canisters.
“Red in the left, blue in the right,” the photographer instructed. “Just walk down the alley we set up and let it flow. Don’t overthink it, Peter.”
Peter cracked the first canister open, and almost immediately a plume of thick red smoke coiled upward. The second he lit the blue one, the two colors began to swirl around him—vivid, striking, almost electric.
Something about it hit him. The red and blue, tangled together in the haze, was so Spider-Man it felt almost personal. He stood a little straighter, a grin pulling at his lips despite himself. For the first time in weeks, he wasn’t nervous about how the internet would see him.
The photographer’s camera clicked wildly. “Yes! That’s it! Look straight at me—confidence, Peter, confidence!”
He strode forward, boots echoing against the pavement, smoke curling like a cape around him. He gave a little smirk—half Peter Parker awkwardness, half Spider-Man swagger.
The shoot wrapped up, the last of the red and blue smoke drifting away into the cool air of the alley. Peter handed off the empty canisters to one of the crew members, tugging at his jacket as if to remind himself it wasn’t actually part of his usual wardrobe.
“Great work, Peter,” the photographer said enthusiastically. “You’ve got a raw, natural energy. Not staged. People are going to eat this up.”
Peter flushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh, thanks. I—I’ve never really done this before.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” the man chuckled. “Most pros need five takes to hit that kind of stride. You just… walked right into it.”
Across the way, Tony was watching him with an unreadable expression. When Peter caught his eye, he expected a sarcastic quip, but Tony only nodded once, slow and deliberate. Almost proud.
Back inside the studio, Pepper came over and helped adjust Peter’s collar, motherly as ever. “You looked amazing out there,” she said softly. “Very… grown-up.”
“Really?” Peter asked, surprised. He had spent most of the morning convincing himself he was going to look ridiculous trying to pose with smoke bombs.
Pepper smiled. “Really. You should see Tony’s face. He won’t admit it, but he’s proud.”
“I heard that,” Tony muttered, but there was no bite to it.
As they left, Peter glanced at one of the monitors still displaying a shot from earlier: him walking forward, jacket crisp, red and blue smoke curling behind like a storm he commanded. For a moment, he hardly recognized himself.
That wasn’t just Peter Parker, the awkward kid from Queens. That was someone who could stand toe-to-toe with the world and not hide from it.
He bit the inside of his cheek, suddenly shy again. “You really think people are gonna… like it?” he asked.
Pepper nudged his shoulder. “They already do. But what matters is—you liked it.”
And the truth was, he did. For the first time since all the attention had started, Peter felt like maybe, just maybe, he could finally own this new version of himself.
The photos hit the internet two days later.
Peter had just sat down at the kitchen table in the Stark penthouse, balancing a bowl of cereal, when his phone dinged with a notification. Then another. Then twenty more. By the time he picked it up, his mentions were on fire.
Tony, sipping his coffee, raised a brow. “Uh oh. That’s the sound of you trending again, kid.”
Peter’s face paled. “What did I do this time?”
“Nothing,” Pepper said, setting her tablet down with a little smile. “The winter-style photoshoot just went live.”
Peter tapped on the first link and almost choked on his cereal. It was him—walking through blue and red smoke, jaw set, eyes sharp. He looked… cinematic. Effortlessly cool. Nothing like the nerd who still forgot to empty his backpack of web cartridges before gym class.
And then he saw the fan reactions.
ily 3000 @IronManStan3000 · 3hr
OH MY GOD PETER PARKER IN THAT BLUE JACKET?? MR. STARK YOUR INTERN IS FINE AS HELL 😳🔥
spider-woman 💋 @widowsbitebabe · 2hr
the red/blue smoke… the denim… this is literally comic-book cover energy and i’m LIVING for it
< T.S 3 @ShieldMaiden101 · 23m
tony said “no more internet famous” and peter said “ok dad” then proceeded to break the internet AGAIN
Crime-Fighting Spider @Friendly_neighborSM · 2m
so you’re telling me this kid saves queens by day, swings around at night, AND looks like a vogue cover in between?? unfair.
I CANT CHANGE MY USER @ThorOdinsonsAbs · 1m
Not me mistaking peter parker’s photoshoot for a marvel phase 5 promo poster 💀
Peter groaned, dropping his phone on the table. “No, no, no, no. This wasn’t supposed to blow up. It was just—just a shoot!”
Tony leaned over to glance at the screen, lips twitching. “Kid, you’ve got fan accounts quoting me now. Look at this—‘Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good, because Peter Parker is too attractive.’ I didn’t even know that was possible.”
Pepper smacked Tony’s arm lightly. “Don’t tease him. He’s handling it better this time.”
Peter buried his face in his hands but couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Maybe Pepper was right. Maybe it wasn’t so bad this time.
And as he scrolled again, he noticed something different in the comments—less noise about him being “the model intern” and more appreciation for him just… being himself.
Peter hadn’t planned on going to Comic Con. Between Stark Industries’ events, school, and patrolling, the idea of navigating a convention floor sounded exhausting. But when Ned showed up at his apartment practically vibrating with excitement, waving two tickets like golden passes, Peter didn’t have the heart to say no.
“Dude, you have to come. This is our thing! You’ve been, like, famous-fied lately, but Comic Con is sacred. It’s nerd central. Our safe place!” Ned said, shoving one of the tickets into Peter’s hoodie pocket.
Peter sighed, but smiled. “Fine. But we’re going low-key. No attention. No trending, no cameras. Just—normal.”
Which is why, of course, everything went to hell.
They arrived Saturday morning, both in costume. Ned wore his classic hobbit outfit—cape, curly wig, fake furry feet sticking out of his sneakers. Peter, on the other hand, had surprised Ned with something entirely different.
A perfectly tailored Nathan Drake cosplay. Henley shirt, leather gun holster straps, brown boots, the works. He even smudged his face with a little fake dirt to sell the adventurer look.
“BRO.” Ned’s jaw dropped the second Peter stepped out of the bathroom. “No. No. Absolutely not. You’re not allowed to look like that.”
Peter adjusted the strap across his chest nervously. “What? It’s just Nathan Drake. You love Uncharted.”
“Exactly! And you look like you are Nathan Drake. This isn’t cosplay, this is… method acting. You’re gonna cause a riot.”
Peter laughed, waving him off. “Dude, relax. Nobody’s even gonna notice me.”
Famous last words.
At first, the convention was normal. They wandered the vendor stalls, bought overpriced churros, and argued over whether to check out the Star Wars panel or the anime cosplay contest. But soon, Peter started noticing people staring.
Whispers followed him down aisles. Phones came out.
“Wait—” Ned grabbed his arm and spun him toward a TV screen mounted above a booth. Live coverage of the convention was playing, and there he was. Peter Parker, in his Nathan Drake cosplay, walking through the crowd like he was straight out of the video game.
The caption beneath him read:
TRUE ICON SPOTTED! (PETER PARKER)
Peter’s face drained of color. “Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no—”
And then the crowd descended.
Fans swarmed. Some screamed. Cameras flashed. People shoved Funko Pops at him, begging for autographs. A group of cosplayers dressed as Avengers started chanting “PARK-ER! PARK-ER!” like he was a celebrity guest panelist.
Ned clung to his side, wide-eyed. “This is insane. Dude, you’re literally Comic Con canon now.”
Peter tried to keep calm, holding his hands up. “Guys, I’m just here to hang out with my friend! I’m not—”
“PETER, DO THE DRAKE POSE!” someone shouted.
“The what?”
Before he could stop himself, Peter was dragged into posing on stage at a cosplay contest, holding a fake prop pistol and doing Nathan Drake’s signature stance. The crowd went wild. Phones lit up the room.
Within minutes, hashtags started climbing online:
Luthor @spideysbiggestfan223 · 2hr
Peter Parker cosplaying Nathan Drake??? This man’s just speedrunning side quests at this point.
america needs me @CapShieldsUp · 2hr
he looks so good i thought sony dropped a surprise uncharted sequel 😭🔥
LEX @SUPREMES0RCER3R · 2hr
bro went to comic con “lowkey” and ended up headlining the entire event
Petra Parker @petraparker_ · 1hr
why does peter parker look more nathan drake than the actual movie nathan drake 💀
Laufeyson @iwearmymomsdrapes · 1hr
imagine showing up to comic con in your hobbit cosplay and your best friend casually outshines hollywood cosplayers. couldn’t be me
Later, after being whisked into a backstage “safe zone” by security, Peter sat with his head in his hands while Ned wheezed with laughter beside him.
“I told you,” Ned said between snorts. “You can’t just… exist anymore without breaking the internet.”
Peter peeked up at him with an exasperated groan. “This was supposed to be normal. Just us. Just Comic Con.”
But despite the embarrassment, he couldn’t help but smile. Maybe it wasn’t normal anymore—but it was still him and Ned, laughing like they always had.
And for now, that was enough.
When Pepper first suggested Peter take the Korea trip, he almost said no on instinct.
“C’mon, Mom..” he groaned, slouched on the Stark Industries sofa. “Last time I left the country, I… y’know. Fought Captain America then dropped a plane bridge on me.. fought this huge and also small new guy that knocked me down.. lots of stuff.”
Pepper gave him the look. “This isn’t a Stark mission, Peter. It’s an opportunity. They invited you to do a feature with Josh and Ollie—The Korean Englishman. It’s about food, culture. No pressure.”
“No pressure,” Tony repeated dryly from across the room, sipping a martini. “Just you, two million subscribers, live cameras, and an entire nation ready to fall in love with you. Again.”
“Dad—!” Peter buried his face in his hands.
“Relax, Underoos,” Tony smirked. “Worst case, you choke on kimchi. Best case, they slap you on a billboard in Seoul. Honestly, odds are fifty-fifty.”
The Shoot – Seoul, Korea
Josh and Ollie were even more welcoming in person than their videos suggested. The studio was buzzing with excitement, trays of food laid out, racks of traditional and modern Korean outfits set off to the side.
“Peter! Welcome, mate!” Josh grinned, giving him a handshake. “We’re so chuffed to have you here. You ready to eat until you can’t move?”
Peter gave an awkward laugh. “That… sounds terrifying, but yeah.”
They started simple: bulgogi, kimchi, tteokbokki. Peter’s eyes widened at the first bite.
“Oh my god—this is amazing,” he mumbled through a mouthful of rice. “Like, really amazing. Why don’t we have this in Queens?!”
Ollie chuckled. “I think you’re going to fit right in.”
But the moment that stole the show came later, when they invited Peter to try on a hanbok—a traditional Korean outfit. The stylists draped a dark blue jacket with gold embroidery over his shoulders, tied the sash, and adjusted the collar.
Peter fidgeted. “Uh, guys… are you sure I don’t look like a total idiot?”
The answer came when Josh’s cameraman lowered his rig slightly, jaw dropping. “He looks like a K-drama lead.”
“Exactly!” Ollie laughed. “Peter, you look incredible.”
When Peter stepped out in front of the set, the lighting hit him just right. The hanbok shimmered, highlighting the sharp lines of his jaw. He tilted his head sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.
Click. Click. Click.
The cameramen hadn’t stopped.
Peter blinked. “Wait—you’re… taking pictures? This wasn’t part of the—”
“Trust us, mate,” Josh said, beaming. “The internet is going to love this.”
Sure enough, within hours of the episode’s release, Twitter and Korean fan sites exploded.
Vari ‼️ @KIMCHIQUEEN95 · 2hr
eter Parker in hanbok is the K-drama prince we never knew we needed 👑✨
I Stan Lee @SeoulSpidey · 1hr
Peter parker? No, this is peter 오빠 😭🔥
🦇 @BulgogiStan12 · 34m
Petition to cast peter parker in a sageuk drama IMMEDIATELY
IronDad @IronDadSavesAll · 19m
tony stark definitely watching this and realizing his intern just became korea’s boyfriend
sonar @sonarloan21 · 5m
not me falling in love with my own boyfriend twice- once in queens, once in seoul 😭
KOTP @m0nky.d_luffy · 4m
Replied to @sonarloan21
we all know damn well he isnt your boyfriend ☠️
sonar @sonarloan21 · 2m
Replied to @m0nky.d_luffy
let me dream
Back in New York when Peter got back, still jetlagged, Tony was waiting in the lab with a smug grin.
“Kid, I turn my back for one second, and suddenly you’re Mr. Worldwide. Care to explain why South Korea thinks you’re starring in a romance drama next spring?”
Peter flushed crimson. “I—I didn’t mean to! They just put me in the outfit, and the food was so good, and then suddenly there were cameras—”
Tony shook his head, muttering, “Unbelievable. My intern’s an Avenger, a model, a K-drama star. What’s next, kid, BTS invites you on stage?”
Peter laughed nervously. “…Actually, they kinda did ask if I wanted to visit one of their rehearsals—”
Tony groaned into his hands. “I’ve created a monster.”
“But I’m not biologically your kid—”
“I’ve created a monster.” Tony repeats stubbornly
It started after the stolen snaps of photos in that Korean outfit.
Peter sat in the Stark Industries lounge, flipping the heavy envelope over and over in his hands. Inside was the contract from a major fashion house—an actual, real modeling contract. Not just a photoshoot gig or a viral moment, but the real deal.
When he finally told Tony and Pepper, they both froze.
“You’re kidding,” Tony said flatly. “This is a joke, right? Like one of those pranks where they pretend you’re on the cover of GQ next month?”
Peter scratched the back of his neck, eyes downcast. “Unfortunately, Dad—no. It’s… it’s real. They want me to sign. I’d be official. Actual model. Like… with an agency and everything.”
Pepper, ever the diplomat, tilted her head. “And how do you feel about that?”
“I don’t know,” Peter admitted. “I don’t… love the spotlight. But… it’s good money. And May’s been carrying everything on her back since forever. I could actually help her now. Pay rent. Make life easier. Maybe even… give her the break she deserves.”
Tony’s expression shifted instantly, the sarcasm draining from his face. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Pete. You don’t need to do this to support May. If it’s money—kid, all you had to do was ask.”
Peter blinked at him, startled. “I can’t just… take your money, Dad.”
“Yes, you can,” Tony shot back. “That’s literally the perk of being attached to me—endless cash flow, all the Wi-Fi you want, and probably a coffee machine worth more than your apartment. You don’t have to go strutting down a runway in Gucci loafers to help May.”
“Tony,” Pepper cut in gently, resting a hand on his arm. “Let him explain.”
Peter swallowed hard. “It’s not just about money. It’s about me doing something for her. On my own. She’s given up everything for me since the day she and Uncle Ben took me in. And… I want to be able to look her in the eye and say, ‘Hey, May. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’ve got us.’ Even if it’s just a little.”
Peter reluctantly agreed, signing the contract. His first shoot was in a high-rise studio overlooking New York City. Bright lights, rows of outfits, stylists buzzing around like bees.
When Peter stepped out of the dressing room, wearing a sleek black coat, the room went silent. Even the director looked stunned.
“Perfect,” the man whispered. “Absolutely perfect. You’re exactly what we needed.”
The camera flashes were relentless, but Peter kept May in his mind, reminding himself why he was doing this.
Back at home, when the glossy magazine spread came out, May nearly dropped her coffee.
“Peter Benjamin Parker,” she whispered, eyes wide. “That’s… you?”
Peter rubbed his neck sheepishly. “Uh, surprise? I… might’ve become a model. Officially.”
Instead of scolding him, May burst into tears, pulling him into the tightest hug. “Oh, honey. You didn’t have to do this for me.”
“I wanted to,” Peter said softly. “You’ve done everything for me. This is the least I can do.”
Within hours, Twitter exploded.
Buchanan @IRONDADDEFENSESQUAD · 32m
imagine tony stark’s intern turning into an ACTUAL professional model. how do i sign up for this simulation?
DREAD @dreadmoor · 23m
first superhero, then K-drama prince, now model… peter parker is literally a one-man multiverse of careers
Odinson @maybetheg0dofthunder · 12m
peter parker walking runways to support his aunt may is the sweetest, most heartbreaking, most wholesome thing ever
Stark Industries @StarkIndustriesPR ☑️ · 10m
Please stop calling Peter a “model intern.” He’s technically a “model employee” now. Thank you.
Back at the tower and later that night, Tony caught Peter in the workshop, staring at the magazine cover with a frown.
“You really went through with it,” Tony muttered.
“Yeah.”
Tony sighed, dragging a hand over his face. “You drive me insane, kid. You could’ve just asked. I would’ve bought May a whole building if it meant you didn’t have to deal with paparazzi breathing down your neck 24/7.”
Peter smiled faintly. “Yeah, but then it wouldn’t be mine. This way, it feels… earned.”
Tony stared at him for a long beat, then shook his head, muttering under his breath. “You’re killing me, Parker.”
But when he turned away, Peter caught the small, proud smile tugging at the corner of Tony’s mouth.