Chapter Text
"Oh damn ! That looks awesome!" Peter Parker yelped with joy as Tony Stark held up the updated Spider-Man suit to show the kid.
"Pretty cool, huh?" The older man said quietly. Peter was speechless, and the man chuckled at the look on his face. "Alright, kiddo. I'm pretty sure it's past your bedtime."
If it was even possible, Peter gaped wider. "W-what? Mr. Stark, it's only like ten thirty, and it's the weekend. May's not even home! I can stay for way long-"
"No, sorry Pete. Glad to see how enthusiastic you are, but it's time to go. I've got plans this evening anyway. FRIDAY'll take you downstairs. Do you want Happy to give you a lift back?" Tony nodded, handing the newly improved suit to Peter who took it.
"It's okay, I know the way. Thanks though," Peter grinned. He was ready to give the suit a whirl.
"Hey - Peter, I know what that cheeky smile means. You are not going out in the suit tonight. Don't even think about asking about trying the suit. Or asking about thinking about trying to suit. It's winter kid, so it's dark outside. Don't want you losing your footing and turning into a spider-cake."
"Uh - yeah. I know. That's absolutely not why I was smiling. Wa- I was even smiling? Ha - I didn't even... realise! No! It must have just been a... facial... spasm." He paused. "Shall I go?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
Peter left and he could hear Tony chuckling behind him.
"See you later, kiddo." Tony said, but Peter was already gone.
---
As awful a liar as Peter was, he decided that he could just take the suit for a swing and not tell anyone if he got hurt. He hoped that one of these new features wasn't a protocol that meant any injury aqquired meant Karen had to call Tony, but he also guessed that it wouldn't. Tony Stark was a busy man, he wouldn't have time to be looking out for a stupid kid like Peter, right?
He changed quickly in an alley. Tony was right about one thing, it was Winter. Yeah, it was dark, but worse it was bloody freezing. As he swung over Queens, he pondered on the idea of a spider-icecream. He was sure that's what he'd be after tonight. Maybe they sold those at Halloween! Halloween was the best day of the year. Peter made a mental note to buy spider-ice-lollies in October.
"Hey Karen - what are the new things Tony's added to the suit?" Peter asked. Yeah, he'd seen the outside of it, which was new and improved with this new texture and the eyes looked super-badass, but he wasn't sure what actual practical differences had been made to the suit.
"He's changed the design, as you have seen, and he has updated the Baby Moniter Protocol, along with new possible web types." Karen said.
"Oh... okay. What's the update on the Baby Moniter Protocol?" Peter asked reluctantly.
"One is that whenever the suit is in use, Tony Stark is notified, in case you are in any immediate danger and the notification doesn't reach him in time. Number two is-"
"Wait what? " Peter yelped. "Rewind. What the frickity frack schnizzles did you just say? So does that mean that he is watching this right now? He knows that I'm-"
"He was notified as soon as you dressed into the suit. He is currently driving to find you."
"OH MY GOD!!!" Peter yelled and swung faster than he ever had before. "What the shit bisuits Karen? Can I get home in time? W-where is he? Oh shit I'm in such big trouble. I'm gonna be murdered. He's going to murder me. I am so dead, Karen-"
"You are not dead, Peter. However, the suit is equipped with defibrillators if-"
"No! No, I'm fine. Just an expression. How far away is he? I swear to the Lord of Candycanes himself, if you say he's right here I will officially shit out a pack of cigarrettes right now." Peter sighed deeply, swinging around the corner and dropping into the alleyway outside his house.
"He is approximately ten seconds away."
"WHAT? Oh God-" Peter quickly scaled the outside of his building as he could hear the engines of Tony's car getting nearer. He was in such big trouble.
"Peter, please be careful. You are climbing dangerously fast."
"Shut up Karen! I've been doing this forever, I'll be fine - woaH! " The breath caught in Peter's throat as he misplaced his right foot, and he slipped. Before he could shoot another web to catch himself, he was falling. It wasn't a high drop, but enough to wow the ouch-factor.
"PETER!" Tony yelled from below as he rushed out of the car. Peter landed on the ground with a disgusting and rather worrying crunch, and as his head hit the ground he was knocked out cold.
"Shit!" Tony dropped to the kid's side, and yanked off the mask. "Kid? Hey! Can you hear me?" He lightly tapped the side of Peter's cheek, but the kid was unresponsive. Tony could feel a panick attack setting in. Why hadn't he just kept the suit? He pressed two fingers into the side of Peter's neck, and breathed a sigh of relief as he felt a pulse, but the worry didn't leave as he could feel it growing weaker by the second. He hadn't even brough a phone, thinking all he needed to do was give the kid a telling-off and get the suit back, so he couldn't even call an ambulance. The kid seemed to have broken a few ribs and possibly damaged his lungs, so they didn't have much time if Tony was going to drive them. He looked at his car, then at Peter, then at the car.
God, this kid was going to be the death of him.
The man swiftly scooped the kid up into his arms and sprinted towards the car, where he laid Peter in the backseat and practically leapt into the drivers seat. The car growled as he took off as astonishing speed down the street, the night sky looming over him.
"Just stay with me, okay Peter? He called into the back of the car, even though he knew Peter couldn't hear him. He grunted as the car went over a bump and winced as he heard Peter roll off the backseat and hit the ground. He hadn't had time to seatbelt him. "Okay." Tony breathed in. "Letsa' go!" He mimicked super Mario's accent as he lurched the car forwards, driving at 110mph down the tiny streets of Queens NY.
-
Peter woke up.
And something smelt good.
"Morning, Peter. Nice of you to join me."
"My pleasure?" Peter replied, his throat dry.
"Of course it is. It's only been ten hours." Tony deadpanned, laughing softly at Peter's expressino.
"Oh crabsticks dipped in actual shit ! May is gonna kill me!" He gaped as Tony stared at him, a laugh tweaking the corner of his mouth.
"What did you say?"
"Uh... May is gonna kill me?" Peter replied, blushing red slightly.
"No-no. Before that," Tony said with pure amusement in his eyes.
"Oh... nothing... it's just a stupid thing..." Peter ducked his head. This was so embarassing.
"You seem to have a nice range of vocabulary Peter. I had a fun time watching the suit footage eariler - your curses really are something special. Frickity frack schnizzels was my personal favourite."
"Oh, no." Peter groaned and tried to hide his laugh. "I-I'm sorry. They just sort of... fall out. Of my mouth. When I'm under pressure. I dunno, really-"
"It's alright, don't sweat it." Tony laughed, then suddenly his smile disappeared and was replaced with a look of terror. Peter's heart leaped.
"What is it?!" Peter yelped.
"Oh frickity frack schnizzels - I have a meeting! I'll be late!" Tony mocked and stood up quickly, then patted Peter on the shoulder as he stared up at him with joke-anger in his eyes. Tony laughed and left the room, only to turn back a few seconds later.
"I'll see you later, kid. Just stay out of trouble, alright? I won't always be here to break your fall. Not like I actually did this time really but you get what I mean. Bye Pete," and then Tony was gone.
"...okay..." Peter looked down at his hands. He couldn't promise that. He wanted to, because he knew that Tony would be shooketh if he got into trouble again, but at the same time it was such fun, being reckless. Oh well.
Peter decided that thought was for another time, right now, the painkillers were starting to wear off and he was tired.
He'd just see what he thought tomorrow.