Chapter Text
Tony Stark had been having a good day.
(In retrospect, this probably should’ve been his first hint that everything was about to go to shit.)
First of all, he’d actually woken up naturally. Not from a nightmare or an emergency alarm blaring daggers into his skull. Nope. None of that. Instead, he’d woken up to sunlight streaming through his bedroom windows and gentle silence.
That never happened. Tony couldn’t even remember the last time that had happened.
So, yeah, that probably should’ve set off red flags right away.
He hadn’t ached that much when he stood up, either. In fact, he’d felt good . Young. Like he could get in the suit without popping a few-too-many Advil first.
The kitchen was clean, the fridge full. The coffee maker seemed faster than usual, and he didn’t even have a headache by the time he started on his first cup. F.R.I.D.A.Y. didn’t pop in with any urgent messages or alerts. A check of Peter’s tracker showed that the kid had made it to school safe and sound, probably sitting in one of those shitty desks while a monotone teacher droned on and on about the Industrial Revolution.
Yeah, Tony Stark had been having a pretty good day.
Then his phone rang.
At first, he thought it was just another nice surprise in a line of nice surprises. After all, Pepper didn’t usually call him in the mornings. She had fancy CEO things to do.
He didn’t even consider the possibility that an unexpected call from the CEO of your company at 10:00 in the morning might be a bad thing.
Ever heard of being lulled into a false sense of security? Yeah, Tony had, too. He just wasn’t thinking about it at that exact moment.
Whoops.
“Morning, Pep. To what do I owe the pleasure? You miss me that much already?”
Pepper’s voice came out and hit his morning's comfortable glide like friction. “Don’t flirt with me, Tony. Not now.”
He groaned internally. Of course his peace couldn’t last. When did it ever? “What did I do this time?”
“For once? Nothing.”
Oh. Well that was a nice change, at least. “So it’s not my fault? I’m shocked.” He settled down on one of the leather couches in the penthouse lounge and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. “Where’s the fire?”
“Somewhere that you’re not going to like.”
“In my defense, I don’t actually enjoy making your job more difficult.”
“ Tony .” Pepper’s exasperation came out more like exhaustion. Like she wasn’t quite sure what to say, or how to say it. And that was not a nice change. “It’s Peter.”
He sat upright. His feet hit the ground with a soft thump . “Huh? Peter?” He forced himself not to roll his eyes. “What’d the kid do this time?”
“Nothing, Tony. This time it’s our fault.”
“I don’t like the way that sounds.”
“You shouldn’t.”
He tightened his grip on the phone, airy confidence morphing into concern. “What’s happened, Pep? Tell me.”
“Do you remember that employee server hack from a few weeks ago?”
He paused, sifting through his admittedly spotty memory of company memos and meetings. “Gonna be honest with you, honey. Not really.”
“You wouldn’t.” She sighed. “About two weeks ago, SI’s employee servers were hacked. It wasn’t anything big. They didn’t even get employee’s personal files, just their company IDs and basic clearance information. Our analysts estimated that only 10% of our workbase was even affected. A couple of our security guys beefed up the code and we all moved on.”
“Okay,” he said slowly, “so why are we talking about it now?”
“Because they did get ID information. That means names, heights, clearance levels .” Pepper paused, like a delay may soften the blow. “And it looks like Peter was in that compromised 10%.”
He stuttered for a second, blindsided by the revelation. Then, he snapped.
“Why the fuck didn’t we know about this after the initial hack? You’re telling me our IT guys couldn’t pinpoint exactly whose information was compromised?”
“They did , Tony. But, like I said, nobody looked too closely at it. They didn’t get enough for it to be a security threat. Most of the info was in the public domain anyway. A kid on library Wifi can Google a list of our employees.”
“But Peter- ”
“Was a secret , Tony. Nobody besides you, me, Rhodey, and Happy know about him. Of course his name wouldn’t flag anything when security checked it out.”
“His clearance should’ve.”
“They weren’t looking for clearance.”
“That was an oversight.”
“Yes, maybe it was. But none of that matters at this point, Tony, because surely you understand what this means?”
He nodded, brain already flicking through possible scenarios. “It means we’ve got a hacker to bribe, and quick.”
“No, Tony.” There was something defeated in Pepper’s tone. “It’s too late for that.”
“It’s… It’s what ?”
“Google Peter’s name.”
“ Excuse me?”
“Do it, Tony. Just… Just do it, alright?”
He swallowed. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.? Google Peter Parker, and tell me the first results that pop up.”
“Try to stay calm,” Pepper said gently.
“I am calm.”
“You may not be in a minute.”
“Boss,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. seemed unperturbed by the results, but that really didn’t say much, “are you ready?”
“Yeah, FRI. Hit me.”
“There has been a major spike in both Google searches and posted online content involving Peter Parker within the last few hours. The publications from this morning are all from news agencies. The most recent article is titled Tony Stark: Deadbeat Dad or Cradle Robber? The Peter Parker Mystery UNCOVERED. However, there are a variety of more professional news sources within my results. For example, WHiH World News published an article 43 minutes ago titled A Stark Sized Scandal: Everything We Know So Far About The Peter Parker Leak . Would you like me to continue?”
“No.” He felt like he’d just been punched in the gut. “That’s enough.”
“Of course, Boss.”
For a minute, neither he nor Pepper spoke.
“So,” the fatigue in her tone made so much more sense now, “that’s the fire.”
“Well,” he floundered for the right words, “ fuck .”
“That sounds about right.” He could hear Pepper typing at a keyboard in the background of the call. “We’re way past stopping the leak. At this point, all we can do is manage it.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. Keep your cool, Stark. Keep your fucking cool. “Okay. Alright. Let’s… Let’s run through this again. Exactly what info do they have on the kid?”
“Right now? Just his name, age, basic demographics, and security clearance.”
“That’s what bit us in the ass, wasn’t it? The damn security clearance.”
“Yeah.” One of the key’s made an particularly loud click as Pepper slammed it. “I’ve read a couple of the articles. They’re all focusing in on the level 10.”
“Obviously. He’s just a regular intern otherwise.”
“Exactly.”
This time, he groaned aloud. “If they’ve got his name and age, it’s only a matter of time before they connect the rest of the dots.”
He could practically see Pepper nodding in agreement. “You’re right. It’s only a matter of time before they pull up his birth certificate, his school registrations. From there they’ll find his address, his phone number. You know how this works. You know what they’ll do.” He did, too. He knew exactly what they’d do, the lengths they’d go to in order to monopolize on the story. “You need to get him and May to the Tower. Their safety has to come before anything else. I’ll handle the media fallout from here if you handle them.”
“Fuck, May .” He hadn’t even thought about her. “What the hell am I supposed to tell May?”
Pepper’s response was full of dry humor. “The truth, maybe?”
“Wow. Thank you, Pep. Have I ever told you that you’re a lifesaver?”
“Not as much as you should.” Her voice softened. “How about this? I’ll call May if you get Peter. You can sign him out of school, right? May’s given you permission to do that?”
“Yeah, yeah. For emergencies.”
“This counts, I think. What will you tell the school?”
“The truth. They need to know. The moment the media figures out that the kid goes there, at least a dozen reporters will be busting down their doors begging for a comment.”
“You’re probably right.”
“I know I’m right.” He stood, kicked the nearest leg of the coffee table irritably. “I’ve lived this, remember? Howard took my third grade teacher to court for releasing my grades to the press.”
“At least he cared enough to do it.”
“It wasn’t that. I got a fucking B in science. Beat the shit out of me for it. Can you imagine his horror when he realized the media knew?” He let out a bitter laugh, years old resentment bubbling to the surface. “Thought he was gonna have a coronary.”
Pepper’s breath rushed through the receiver. “Oh, Tony.”
He winced at the sympathy in her voice. “Yeah, well, it’s over. Gotta focus on the now, and the now involves an oblivious kid in the middle of a media shitstorm. Guess I better go break the news about the news.”
“Take Happy with you.”
“I’m perfectly capable of picking up a sixteen year old kid from a high school without Happy, thank you very much. It’s not like I haven’t done it before.”
“I’m sure you are, but what will you do if the media figures out his school before you can get him out?” In Pepper’s defense, she did sound apologetic. “Take Happy. For Peter’s sake, Tony. He can focus on the security, and you’re free to handle the kid.”
“You mean I’m free to handle all the emotional baggage?”
“Well, if you want to put it that way…”
“Oh, no. This is a great idea. After all, they do call me Tony Stark: Feelings Extraordinaire. Oh, wait. They don’t call me that. Wonder why.”
“Maybe because you’re stalling on the phone with me instead of doing what needs to be done?”
He glared down at the phone. “That hurt.”
“It was meant to.” He could taste Pepper’s smirk. “Now go . I’ll handle May and everything else. Surely you’re capable of looking after a single teenager?”
“Jury’s out.”
“Goodbye, Tony. Good luck.”
“I don’t believe in luck.”
“Mhm.”
The line went dead, and he stared down at his phone’s blank screen for a solid 30 seconds.
“F.R.I.D.A.Y.?”
“Yes, Boss?”
“Am I dreaming? Having a stroke? Drunk?”
“Not that my sensors are aware of.”
He blew out a breath. “Awesome.”
All this, and he had been having such a good day.
--
The car rocked a little as Happy jammed it into park outside of Midtown.
“I’ll get the kid. You stay here.”
“Uh, nope.” Tony was already shaking his head before Happy could finish. “And since when did you give me orders?”
“Since forever. You make terrible decisions.”
“I do not.”
“You’re making one right now.”
“Listen, Hap, I appreciate your concern, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing dangerous about the receptionist at a high school for super-nerds.”
“The receptionist isn’t the concern, Tony. What if someone spots you? There’ll be paparazzi swarming before you can blink. You want that?”
“ No .” Why was everything being so goddamn frustrating today? “But this debate doesn’t even matter, because they won’t sign him out to you. He’s a minor, remember? They don’t just hand 16 year olds over to whoever asks for them.”
Happy twisted in his seat and lifted a dubious eyebrow. “And they’ll hand him over to you?”
“Considering I’m one of his emergency contacts, yes.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“Nope.”
“Since when did his aunt put you down as a contact?”
“Since I realized he had no one else. It’s not a big deal. Just helping out.”
There was something on Happy’s face that suggested he didn’t believe him. “Sure.”
He glared, shoving open his door irritably. “I assume you’re coming with?”
Happy followed, looking way too amused at his displeasure for Tony’s taste. “Obviously.”
“Well, hurry up then.”
Happy had to jog to catch up with him as he stalked towards the school’s entrance. “Do you even know where the office is?”
“I imagine it’s beside the front entrance.”
“That’s just a clever way of saying you don’t know.”
He grit his teeth. “I’ll find it.”
The front office was, in fact, in the front of the building. It took all of four seconds to find it once he strolled through the visitor’s entrance, considering the fact that you had to walk through the office before you could actually get access to the school.
He cataloged that information for later. Decent intent in security, could use some improvement, but the infrastructure’s already there.
He tried to pour as much charm as possible into his smile as he approached the middle aged lady working at the main desk. “Morning. Tony Stark, here to pick up Peter Parker.”
The receptionist blinked up at him, briefly overwhelmed by the usual expression of oh-my-god-Tony-Stark-is-standing-right-in-front-of-me , and then turned slowly to the monitor in front of her. “Tony… Tony Stark ? For Peter Parker?”
“Yep.”
She pursed her lips. “What, uh, what reason?”
He snorted. “You seen the news this morning?”
The confusion on her face gave him the answer before she could even speak. “No?”
“Yeah, well, you got a phone or something? Pull it up. It’ll probably explain better than I can.”
To be fair to her, she didn’t question him. She just silently pulled out her iPhone and opened the News app.
Tony winced. God, it was the first story to pop up. That… wasn’t ideal.
The woman stared, dumbstruck, before slowly dragging her gaze back up and setting her phone off the side.
“That’s... not something I see everyday.”
“No, I imagine it isn’t.”
A flash of annoyance snapped across her face. “So you’re taking him out of class to, what, hide him ?”
He forced himself not to flinch at the accusation in her tone. “Essentially.”
Her eyes danced over to Happy. “Is that your bodyguard?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head, typing something in the system with the precision of someone who spent most of their days in front of a computer. “It’s a cold world you’re dragging this boy into, Mister Stark.”
He swallowed. “I know.”
“Do you?” Before he could reply, she picked up a phone and spoke loudly into the receiver. “Peter Parker, please report to the front office.” She hung up and turned her attention back to Tony. “Do you know when he’ll be back at school?”
“We’ll… be in touch.”
“Mm.”
The next five minutes were full of awkward silence. By the end of it, even Happy was starting to shift uncomfortably.
Thankfully, Peter Parker had never been one for quiet.
For once, Tony found himself infinitely grateful for that quirk.
“Mister Stark!” The kid sounded like he’d won the goddamn lottery as he came bolting into the office. “Mister Happy! What’re you guys doing here?”
Oh, great. So the kid also didn’t know. If he was being honest, he’d kind of been hoping someone had spilled the beans in the hallway or something.
Obviously not.
“Long story. I’ll tell you in the car.” He glanced to the receptionist and ignored the cold look in her eyes. “He good to go?”
“If he’s ready.”
“I am!”
“Yeah?” He glanced at the kid’s backpack, only half-slung over his shoulder. “You got everything?”
“Yep!”
“Alright. Good. Let’s bounce.” He shot a salute at the receptionist as he and Happy herded the kid towards the door. “Thanks for your help.”
“Mhm.”
Peter turned back to wave. “Bye, Mrs. Knox!”
For the first time, the woman’s eyes melted. “Have a nice day, Peter.”
“I will!”
Yeah, Tony thought, heart constricting, sorry, kid, but you probably won’t.
--
The door to the Audi slammed shut, and Peter started talking.
To be fair, Tony didn’t really know what he was expecting. It wasn’t like Peter had ever been the kind to not ask questions.
“Is it a mission? Do you need Spider-Man? Cause, like, I’m so ready if it’s a mission. Or is it a science thing? Are we going to a conference? Something cool? Oh, oh, are we gonna-”
He held up a hand, effectively silencing the tirade. “None of the above.”
One day, the innocence in Peter’s eyes was gonna kill him. “Then what’s up?”
“We have a… situation.”
“A situation? What kind of situation?”
How was he supposed to say this? Shit . “A press situation.”
“A… A press situation?”
He forced himself to pick his words carefully. “A few weeks ago, a hacker broke through the security surrounding some SI employee records. It didn’t seem important at first, because all they got was some ID and clearance info.”
Peter shook his head slowly. Tony could practically see his brain working. “What does this have to do with me?”
“We’re getting there.” He took a breath. “We didn’t realize it at the time, but your ID file was one of the ones that was compromised.”
The kid’s face screwed up in confusion. “So they got, what, my name?”
He sighed. God , this was exhausting. How was he supposed to explain to a 16 year old kid that his entire life was about to go down in flames because of a simple system hack?
He’s never going to be normal ever again, and it’s all my goddamn fault.
“Your name isn’t the issue here, kid. Everyone at your school knows you have an internship with me. The issue is the security clearance.”
For some reason, that piece of information seemed to startle the kid. “What? Why?”
“Because you have level 10 clearance, Pete.”
Peter just stared at him, uncomprehending.
Patience, Stark. Don’t lose your patience. This isn’t the kid’s fault.
It’s yours.
Don’t be Howard. Don’t be Howard. Don’t be Howard.
“There are only four people who have that level of clearance in the Tower, Peter.” He focused all his energy on keeping his tone gentle. “You, me, Pepper, and Rhodey. That’s it. Nobody else. Do you understand that that means? It singles you out. Whoever did the hack must’ve sorted through the info they got and noticed. It signals that you’re not just a regular intern. That you’re something more… interesting.”
That you’re something important to me. They know I trust you.
And I don’t trust people. Everyone with eyes and a brain knows that.
Peter blinked. “Oh.”
Any other day, the dumbfounded look on the kid’s face might’ve been funny. Now, though, it just made guilt weigh heavy in his chest.
“Yeah. Oh.”
“So I’m… on the news?”
God, what an innocent thing to say. Tony really wanted to throw up. “All over it, yeah.”
“So,” Peter wrung his hands together, “so… what do we do?”
“That’s the million dollar question, kiddo, and I don’t know the answer. Not yet, anyway.”
“They don’t know I’m Spider-Man though, right?”
“No, no.” At least he could reassure the kid of that . “Nothing about Spider-Man.”
“That’s okay, then.” Suddenly, Peter’s head snapped up and his shoulders tensed. “Wait, May . If… If they know about me, they can find out about her, right?”
“Relax, squirt, I’m one step ahead of you. Pepper texted me on the way to Midtown. May knows, and she should be at the Tower before we are.”
“So she’s safe?”
“Absolutely.”
“Oh, good.” Peter slouched back into the leather seat with a tentative smile. “So what happens next?”
Kid knew how to ask the right questions, Tony would give him that. “We’ll meet up with May and Pepper back at the Tower. Pepper’ll be able to give us a briefing on the media damage. Then, we’ll… we’ll all work together to decide what to do.”
Peter nodded. “Okay.”
He looked so small, with the arms of his Decathlon sweatshirt pulled over his hands and backpack crumbled at his feet. He looked like… he looked like a kid .
A kid that’d never get to be a kid again.
And you know what? Tony had been having a really good fucking day.
--
May and Pepper were already standing at the kitchen’s breakfast counter when the elevator opened.
“May!” Peter detached himself from his side straight away, making a beeline for his aunt like no one else in the world mattered.
Tony tried not to feel too offended, but he couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that filled his stomach.
“Hey to you too.” She wrapped her arms around the kid and held him close. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, yeah.”
“Did Tony explain everything to you?”
Peter’s gaze darted towards the floor. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”
May shook her head. “Oh, baby. What could you possible have to be sorry for?”
“It’s just… all this happened and now you’re having to take off work because of me.”
Tony stepped into the kitchen with a sigh. “Your aunt is taking off work because I didn’t keep track of my security. My fault, not yours.”
May shot him a glare. “Funny how both of you are wrong. I’m taking off work because of an event that neither of you have any blame in. Now,” she straightened authoritatively as Peter quietly removed himself from her arms, “I think we need to plan.”
As if summoned by the prospect of organization, Pepper cleared her throat. “We’ll have to develop our plans as the media reacts, but we can anticipate some things. For one, we’ll have to figure out a way to get proper security into your apartment.”
Peter glanced between the adults. “How long will that take?”
Pepper gave him a gentle smile. “Long enough that you two will have to stay here.”
He jumped in before Peter could protest. “It’ll be like a sleepover. What kind of teenager doesn’t like sleepovers?”
May squeezed the kid’s arm. “Just think about it, Peter. You’re gonna have a whole design lab in the same building as you. By the time the apartment’s ready again, you won’t want to leave.”
He nodded. All he wanted was to wipe that dejected look off of Peter’s face. “Tower’s got a private swimming pool, too. Laser tag on one of the lower floors. A killer restaurant in the lobby. Not as good as Disney, I’ll admit, but something tells me you’ll have a ball.”
Peter’s voice came out forlorn. “Yeah.”
Before he could really think about it, he was crossing the space between him and the kid and dropping a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“Hey,” he have the kid’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, “cheer up, yeah? I’ll figure it out. I swear that I will. I’m gonna figure this out for you.”
Peter looked up at him with trust bleeding, raw and bright, through his gaze. “I know you will. I trust you.”
Tony shook his head, swallowing hard against the lump suddenly forming in his throat.
God, kid, why would you ever do that?