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It’s not that Peter is upset with Tony. He isn’t at all actually. He’s more happy than anything, comforted. Really.
It’s just that he finds out through his roommate without even a heads up from the Iron Man himself which really just isn’t all that cool of Mr Stark.
“Peterpeterpeterpeterpeter!” A voice echoes down the hall, getting louder and louder and-
His roommate slams the door open into their dorm, skidding into their room, tripping on his own backpack as he flings himself into the small dorm like something out of a roadrunner cartoon, sliding face first onto the carpet, out of breath.
“Woah, Todd, slow down,” Peter swivels around in his desk chair to face his struggling roommate, eyes wide, spidey senses on high alert (he hadn’t detected any trouble, but anything was possible), “What's going on?”
Peter watches as Todd reaches heavily for the edge of the nearest bed, pulling himself off the floor as he attempts to catch his breath, “ He said - he was done - lecturing - at colleges - but he’s - here - Pete!”
“Um… who?”
Todd beams, “My idol!”
Peter just raises an eyebrow expectantly. Todd looks more exasperated than he really deserves the right to, “Tony Stark!”
And that right there makes Peter go ramrod straight, “What? Say that again.”
“Tony Stark showed up out of the blue today, I heard a couple of biomed kids talking about it in the labs, it’s all over campus! Peter, what if I get to meet my idol, oh my god!” He collapses onto his back on Peter’s back in a show of Shakespearean drama.
“So you’re saying that Tony Stark is… here? And nobody knows why?”
“Yeah,” Todd says, staring up at the ceiling, “Showed up today and agreed on giving a lecture that he’s been saying no to for months. Nobody knows why, but nobody is exactly gonna tell Tony fucking Stark ‘sorry sir we don’t care about your highly valuable time, you don’t have an appointment. Come back later’. His lecture is tonight.”
Peter turns back around to his desk, hunches over, “Sounds like a lot of people will wanna go to hear him talk.”
Todd knows that voice.
Nearly every Friday night he hears that voice of Mr. Homebody Parker. Todd sits upright, glares at Peter’s back with his eyes narrowed, “You’re gonna go with me, right?”
“I don’t know,” Peter says, hesitates as he sketches the line between two points of data, “I’ve got a lot of work to do. I was gonna skype with Ned tonight.”
“Don’t be a stick in the mud, Pete, c’mon! I can’t go alone, I need you! This is a once in a lifetime experience, you can’t not go!”
Actually, it’s far from a once in a lifetime experience. In fact it’s more like a once every two weeks experience for Peter. Not that Todd knows that. Part of their agreement had been that Tony wouldn’t be most about Peter’s school life, wouldn’t try to meddle unnecessarily or make things easier than he deserved, and Peter wouldn’t mention his relationship to the infamous Iron Man. The whole idea was about starting over. Fat good Tony was doing at that, eh?
“Okay,” Peter agrees with an irritable glance in Todd’s direction, “I’ll go with you. But only if you agree to ask your mom to send more of those cookies she makes, yeah?”
Todd beams all over again and Peter feels a little better about his decision, “You’re the best roommate ever! I’m gonna go ask the girls down the hall if they want to come up with us!”
Peter laughs as Todd slams the door behind. He shakes his head and twirls his pencils between his fingers. The girls always say no, but that hasn’t kept Todd from trying yet.
In the end, the girls don’t end up coming with them.
“Sorry, Todd,” Peter can hear one of them saying as his roommate catches her on her way out of her own dorm, “Stacey and I already have plans to go with some friends. Maybe another time, okay?”
Todd blows it off as no big deal, rambling defensively and completely overcompensating. His roommate wasn’t exactly the greatest at talking to people or… forming words.
In all honesty, Peter’s kind of glad that it’s just going to be the two of them. Peter likes Todd and the girls are kinda boring. They weren’t great conversationalists at all and Todd always went a little cottonmouthed in the presence of the opposite sex, so it’d inevitably be up to Peter to hold a conversation with himself.
But mostly he’s just glad because now he’ll only have to introduce one person to Tony after the lecture. Because that’s totally gonna happen. Tony wouldn’t come if he hadn’t intended it.
The lecture turns out to actually be genuinely fascinating. It’s pretty hard to forget that Tony’s one charismatic son of a bitch but every once in awhile Peter won’t remember that Tony is a gifted public speaker. He glows on the stage, dazzles today’s youth with money and power and knowledge like a Jedi with a brain for science.
Tony ends up essentially throwing money in the crowd as the lecture hall jam packed with students applaud wildly, star struck.
“I’m going to be funding every single one of your registered research projects,” He says, arms spread like he’s going to wrap them around the entire lecture hall, “And I’m going to provide a very special invite to every single student in attendance here today to the Stark Industry headquarters over in New York in which I- or a gifted member of my R&D department- will personally review graduate research.”
There’s more applause and the next thing Peter knows, the room is booming. It’s a stampede of thunder, compounded by jubilant whoops. Todd is going crazy beside him, jumping up and down.
Peter had his arms crossed across his chest.
“Keep working hard to make the world how you see it could be!” Tony booms into the mix, waving at the crowd, “Have a good night, everybody!”
With that, Tony Stark disappears backstage. The hall continues to clap and cheer for five minutes after he’s gone, whooping and hollering and shouting about how Iron Man and Tony Stark are their biggest heroes. Peter’s still seething. The whole campus is going to be buzzing about Tony Stark for months. He’s never going to hear the end of it.
The crowd continues to go wild when Peter can’t stand it anymore. Goddamn Tony Stark. Tampering with his college experience. Tsk. Peter tugs on Todd’s shirt sleeve.
“Follow me,” Peter shouts over the sounds of over a thousand jubilant researchers. Todd looks disappointed to leave, but nods and follows willingly.
“I don’t want to leave yet,” Todd says in the quieter lobby, “I want to wait and see if he’ll come out again- or maybe we can see him as he leaves!”
“We’re not leaving yet,” Peter says, making a left turn and following down the long outer-curve of the hall.
They walk straight for a long time, Todd trying to listen in on the cheering to make sure he doesn’t miss a reappearance by Stark. To his credit, he dutifully does what his friend asks, follows after with little complaint.
“What are we even doing?”
“You’ll see,” Peter responds cryptically, moving at a clipped pace. Todd scurries after.
Finally, they arrive at a door with a rather erect security guard, arms crossed and eyes straight.
“Agent Muller!” Peter says happily as they approach, “Long time no see, sir!”
“Wait Peter, what are you doing?” Todd hisses, suddenly alarmed, “You’re going to get us kicked out!”
“Don’t worry, Todd,” Peter tells his friend before turning back to the bodyguard, “Stark Industries still treating you right, sir?”
To Todd’s complete and utter surprise, the emotionless agent cracks a smile, “Can’t complain even a bit, Pete. Stark’s expecting you, go right on in.”
He opens up the door and lets the two teenagers backstage.
“What the hell is going on, Pete?” Todd hisses, holding a death grip onto Peter’s sweatshirt, “We can’t just be- oh my god that’s Tony Stark.”
Sure enough, the greatest mind of the past century approaches them, not looking at all alarmed that a couple of college students had made their way backstage. The crowd can still be heard applauding themselves half to death in the distance. Todd’s gone completely speechless. Tony so much as smiles at the pair of them, arms out like he’s about to embrace somebody.
“Pete!” He calls out happily, “You made it!”
Todd can’t seem to make out full sentences, gibbering incoherently, “That’s Tony Stark- Tony St-To- Stark- Tony- That’s-“
Peter, however, crosses his arms across his chest, narrows his eyes at the billionaire honing in on them, “Mr Stark,” He says with a tsk, “I’m disappointed in you. I thought we had a deal.”
“We do, kid! Who’s saying we don’t still have a deal, huh?”
“You.” Peter counters distinctly, “By being here you’re going against the deal. You said you wouldn’t meddle, that you wanted me to have a normal college experience. You said you wouldn’t come here and be all Tony Stark and try to help me out or whatever.”
“And whoever said I was here for you? Can a man not innocently visit his rather prestigious alma mater that loves him dearly without being accused of traitors? Is that really what this world has come to, Pete? Huh?”
The glare that Peter fixes on Tony could kill. Todd thinks he might pass out, his head is spinning and man is he confused. Peter narrows his eyes at the billionaire, doesn’t dare avert his gaze for so much as a moment.
Finally, Tony relents, shoulders loosening, “Fine. You mentioned you were homesick and I came here to spy on you-“
“When did I mention that I was homesick? Oh my god, Tony, that was-“
“In my defense, May conspired with me, so really you can’t-“
“I said that I missed the dumplings from the place by the tower once in a single text and you assumed I became monumentally homesick without telling you? I’m really fine, Tony. You can tell Aunt May-“
“You really can’t blame me. It isn’t my fault. We worry about you is all, all of us-“
“That I’m fine. My teachers all say I’m doing great-“
“I have a care package from Steve, a letter from Bruce and Nat-“
“And I’ve made plenty of friends! I even found the best doughnuts around, all without your help, so-“
“and a transferable noogie from Clint whatever that means. We worry about you, so sue us, kid!”
“You can tell Aunt May I’m fine. Wait- did you say the others sent stuff for me, too?”
“Yeah…”
“They… miss me?”
“Of course they do, kid. The Tower isn’t the same without you.”
Behind them, Todd makes an inhuman sound that kinda at least partially ruins the moment. Peter still manages a small smile anyway.
“Mr Stark, I really appreciate it,” He says, softened now. He thinks he might understand, can try to at least, “But as scary as moving was, I’m fine now really. My grades are great and I’m making friends and everything.”
For a moment, Tony just stares skeptically at Peter, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
But really when has Peter been known to mince the truth, so he nods, smiles, spreads his arms out, “I’m sorry for doubting you, Pete,” He says softly, “Now give me a hug.”
They finally embrace. Somewhere along his journey with his alter ego, Tony became something of a father figure to Peter, an unexpected sort of father-son relationship developing between them over time. It’s become normal to them. Time spent in He labs at the compound over weekends, Peter dragging Tony to his favorite spots in Queens, Tony teaching his protege everything he could, team dinners with all the other heroes-turned family. It’s a weird reality, but it’s Peter’s. He used to marvel at it- how his life had been tilted on its axis and now he’s here, under the wing of the legendary Tony Stark. A lot has happened. He doesn’t bat an eye at it anymore.
Todd, however, is not even remotely used to his roommate hugging a living legend like a close relative. A rather undignified sound of surprise escapes his lips.
“Oh, Mr Stark!” Peter exclaims, extricating himself from the tight hug, “This is my roommate, Todd. He was really excited to meet you.”
Peter watches as he switch in Tony flips to complete professionalism, a rigid sort of smile graffitied effortlessly on. If Peter didn’t know any better, Tony would appear almost blasé or bored , but Peter knows that Tony is just about as excited as can be to be meeting one of Peter’s friends. To Todd, he comes off as simply nonplussed.
“It’s good to meet you, kid,” The billionaire, superhero, legend says to the debt-ridden college student and it all kinda rings like some sick sort of knock knock joke, “Pete here’s told me all about you.”
“Peter has-” Todd isn’t able to form coherent sentences, “He’s told you- you- about me?”
Tony laughs easily. This kind of reaction is nothing new to him. He’s been receiving this same sort of awe-struck audience since he was in his twenties, “Yep,” He says, grinning unequivocally at Peter, “Said quite a few things actually.”
Peter reddens, rolls his eyes, “Stop trying to cause trouble, Mr Stark. Only good things, Todd.”
“I hear your mom makes some mean cookies. Any chance you could have her send some to the compound? We love baked goods up there.”
“We? You mean the- you mean- the Avengers- you-“
“Now you’re just being mean, Tony. Give him a break. He’s my friend. We share a dorm, c’mon.”
Tony looks to Peter to reveal a dastardly little grin and just like that he drops the facade, reaches a friendly hand out to Todd, “I’m just kidding, kid,” He says, “It really is a pleasure to meet you.”
Todd looks like he’s about to pass out, “It’s a- a pleasure to meet you too, Tony- I mean, sir, um Mr Stark, um I- I love your work.”
Always one to enjoy flattery and find amusement in others tripping over themselves for him, Tony smiles, “Woah, Pete, if this is what all your friends are like I’d really like to meet em all.”
Peter playfully punches Tony in the arm, “Shut up. You’re lucky I’m introducing you to this one.”
Behind them, the incessant chant of overjoyed, sleep-deprived college students continues almost ominously.
“Tony Stark. Tony Stark. Tony Stark. Tony-“
This time, it’s Peter’s turn to smile all knowingly, a subliminal laugh on his lips and his mentor’s arm around his shoulders, “How is it that our genius MIT alum Tony Stark plans to get out of here? You’re at the center of campus and no matter where you go, you’re going to attract a crowd of fanboys.”
Tony rolls his eyes, but he’s grinning. He squeezes Peter’s shoulders and takes a step away from Peter and Todd, “Please,” He says, arms stretched out like wings that will take him away, “When have Starks been known to shy away from a crowd? I’ll see you later, Pete. Nice meeting you, Tom.”
“It’s Todd!” Peter calls hack, but Tony had already slipped back onstage where the uproarious crowd somehow got even louder. There’s no chance that Stark had heard him. Peter turns to his roommate, embarrassed, “Sorry he got your name wrong. He’s an ass sometimes, he probably did it on purpose.”
Todd’s eyes are huge, and for a moment Peter fearsTodd is about to curse at him or something for destroying his innocent idolhood, but then Todd grabs a hand onto each of Peyer’s upper arm and gapes, looking like he’s possibly on the verge of tears, “That was possibly the best moment of my life. Did you hear him? He said it was nice to meet me! Tony Stark! He said that about me!”
Peter chuckles, bowing his head, “So we’re good?”
“Peter,” Todd says, sounding almost dreamlike as Pete nods to Agent Muller on their way back out into the halls surrounding the amphitheater, “That was literally a dream come true. I have no idea how I’m ever going to repay you-“
“You don’t have to do that-“
“Seriously, anytime you want cookies? My mom’s on call for you-“
“It was really no big- wait, did you say cookies?”
Todd nods very seriously.
“You know what,” Peter answers thoughtfully. They’re almost back to their building, but the chants from the lecture hall can still be heard, “I might take you up on that.”
Their dorm is never cookie-free for the rest of the time they’re roommates. It’s awesome. And after Peter sends a batch to Tony, Stark Industries makes a bid at commercializing the stuff. Todd’s Ma’s Cookies, he tries. She refuses, but it gets close. Tony settles for a dozen on holidays, claiming it isn’t a fair trade.
Mama Todd is definitely getting the short stick here. Stark swears the things could make her millions.
Todd’s family gets a Parker-Stark Christmas card for twenty years even after they graduate MIT. His mom continues to send her cookies.
//////
Campus is still fluttering with chatter the next day when everybody wakes up and Tony Stark is still on campus. The school all but goes up in flames when he’s spotted strolling through the main pavilion arm-in-arm with a nameless freshman. The kid is spotted rolling his eyes and laughing at something Stark says, and in that exact moment half the student body takes a blood pact to sacrifice Peter to the gods of science.
Todd can’t stop talking about meeting his idol in person.
“So wait, wait, wait, you just like- hang out? With Tony Stark? I can’t believe that.
“For the last time, Todd,” Peter sighs, even hours after Tony’s speech, “I used to spend about every other weekend with him. I interned with him, and he took me under his wing. I helped out with Avengers stuff sometimes too, just whatever. It was because of the internship, but now he’s kinda like a mentor, something of a father figure, I don’t know. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Peter, Peter, Peter,” Todd can’t seem to stop saying his roommate’s name. He might be in shock, seriously, “Your kinda-mentor/surrogate dad is one of the greatest minds of the past century. He’s been my idol for the past ten years. It’s definitely a big deal.”
“Whatever,” Peter says, tosses a Cheeto into the air and gets hit in the cheek as it comes back down, “He’s just Tony to me.”
Todd scoffs and throws himself dramatically into the floor, “Just Tony?” He shrieks, voice shrill, “Tony Stark? Just Tony?”
Peter twirls a pen between his fingers, looking down at his suddenly theatric roommate, “Yeah,” He laughs, smiling, “Just Tony.”
Todd continues to make incoherent grabs at his own lack of ability to wrap his head around the idea of his best friend at college being so close to his lifelong idol.
“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Peter says suddenly, grinning with a sudden mischief, “How would you like to come with me to drop Tony off at the airport?”
It’s that moment that Peter genuinely fears he has broken his roommate. There’s no world that the incoherent smorgasbord that splutters out of Todd’s mouth is healthy.
“Peter, I would kill for an opportunity like that. Are you kidding me? Just to be in his presence for a little bit longer? Are you serious?
Peter already knows that bringing his Tony-obsessed roommate with him on his farewell to his mentor will be the perfect payback for Tony breaking his deal with him. Peter can’t wait.
“Oh yeah,” Peter props a foot up on the cramped desk shoved between their twin beds, “I’m sure Tony’ll love having you there.”