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Peter had been having a fine day, really.
Better than usual. Maybe bordering on great!
School was fine - as fine as it could be, anyway. Patrol had been going great, and he was headed home to be picked up by Happy, to head to the lake house for the weekend- per the usual since the “blip”.
He was mentally cataloging what to tell Morgan about and what to omit, per Mister Stark's “age appropriate” mandates for his patrol recaps for the little girl - which was… reasonable, all things considered.
Peter giggled to himself as he recalled a bike robbery from earlier than the week. That was 110% okay to tell Morgan.
Okay, keep the part about the cool double back-flip, omit the gun. Keep the pun, omit the curse word. Yeah, she’s gonna love all this
He was way too excited to see everyone at the lake house, swinging a little too fast, banking a little too hard.
And then the lights all flashed.
Peter was lucky when he didn’t knock into a facade and caught himself.
Looking up towards the source of the flash, there was a floating, silver being. It hovered with very little turbulence, almost as if it was suspended in the air.
“Karen, zoom”
As his lenses focused closely on the floating, silver thing, Peter quickly realized that it was a person, and more specifically someone in a suit. When the person turned their head, the poor boy’s breath nearly left him.
The man looked a hell of a lot like Tony Stark.
Peter climbed up the building he’d been perched on, and got a better view of the man.
The dark hair, the strong jaw, he looked like Tony at first glance. But the more Peter stared, the more… wrong it became.
The silver armor seemed almost impractical, his entire head showing save for what seemed to be a circlet of some sort, and the back of his head. It glistened like a mirror, contrasting with his black hair and pale skin. He was much younger too, no sign of the aging that his Tony Stark had been marred with in the five years the boy had been dusted. No golden tones, no wide, expressive, but wise eyes. His eyes… were Blue
And they were looking right at Peter.
Shaking off his nervousness, he knew that Spider-Man was more needed than Peter Parker here.
When the “Tony” smiled at him, an almost soft looking smile, Peter let himself stay on the roof of the brownstone, and the Silver Iron Man flew over, landing almost harshly on the concrete building.
“Spider-Man”
“....” Peter tilted his head slightly “You’re not my Iron Man”
“No, I’m not” He grinned, opening his arms “Tony Stark, I like to think I’m the Superior Iron Man. Compared to others I've met”
“... Spider-Man. I haven’t met any others, so far, anyway” Peter shrugged
“You’re younger than most of them, if I’m hearing you right.”
Peter was glad his mask hid his pout, but Tony chuckled as if he knew the exact expression he was making
“Hey, no judgement here” he started, walking to a ventilator and sitting down on it. “I’ve been looking for Spider-Men”
Peter felt his spider sense just so lightly tingle at the back of his neck.
“And why is that?” Peter tried to look casual when he leaned against the wall of the building entrance
“Well… My Spider- Man… he’s not around anymore..” His eyes bore right through Peter’s lenses, the man’s shoulders were tense. “You died, Pete”
Peter felt his entire body tense “... How?” was his first question.
“Well… In my universe, there was this virus. It affected everyone, and everything. It took ages but, I made an antidote. . . I couldn’t get it to you in time”
The look on the silver Tony’s face was unreadable. Peter was certain there was pain in there… but there was still his spider sense, tingling lightly,
“.. A virus”
“Yeah. It was called “Extremis””
Now that rang a bell for the teen
“.. Extremis was a bio-weapon in this timeline. Made my Audrich Killian”
“Huh, sounds about right”
“It burned people alive… people exploded… and you’re saying it was a virus?”
“Functioned a little different in my universe” Tony explained, though didn’t elaborate
“.... Why are you looking for a Spider-Man when yours is dead?”
The man shut his eyes “Well, that's a good question” his eyes opened, a glow to them “I guess the simple answer is that i’m looking to see if there’s a Spider-Man whose looking for an Iron-Man. Maybe one where I’m out of the picture… So” he tilts his head “Kid. Is Iron-Man still in the picture here”
Peter tilted his head right back “Uh, kinda? He’s alive, but retired. Lost his arm….” Peter crossed his arms “has a robot arm now. Morgan loves it”
“Morgan?”
“His daughter. He’s uh, married to Pepper Potts”
The disbelief on Silver Tony’s face was almost jarring
“.... Pepper Potts… I married… Pepper Potts”
Peter nodded “Sooo uh, sorry? I’m actually gonna be running late. I headed to his place for dinner”
Tony forced himself to focus, squinting at the boy slightly “What’s your relationship with … Me, in this universe?”
Peter nervously coughed, weighing his options “Uh… we’re uh, friends” he answered, lamely.
“That’s it?”
“.... Yup” Peter lied
This tony grinned.
“Then I have a proposition for you, kid”
---
“Boss, Peter’s emergency line has been tripped”
Tony raised his brow from the onions he was chopping “By Karen?”
“No Boss, by Peter”
Well, that made it worse.
“Give me audio.”
“- listen man, I get why you’re offering me this stuff but I kinda like my universe?” Peters voice was light - nervous - and very clearly had that sheen of “ooh I’m in a bad situation”
There was a chuckle heard further away
“Like what about it?” The voice answered. “Your thankless job? I’ve seen a lot of Peter Parker’s, A lot of Spider-men. You know what they all have in common? They’re lives are bullshit and never get any better.”
Peter didn’t respond.
“That’s your fate, kid. But, in my universe, Peter Parker? He doesn’t have to worry about a damn thing.”
Peter didn’t answer again.
“Fri, suit. Tell Pepper its a Code Pete”
“Yes Sir”
“.... I can’t believe that” Peter finally said, as Tony’s suit formed around him. “Just cause other Spider-Men have it bad in your opinion doesn’t mean it’s bad. No offense to you but I feel like I’m not getting the whole story from you”
The pause after Peter accused the other man of lying felt dangerous.
Tony was already on his way.
“Fri, time. Keep the audio channel open”
“With your current speed you should be on that rooftop in less than 4 minutes”
“... What lies do you think i’m telling?”
“... I’m not sure” Peter admitted “But you’re making my…. Sixth sense go absolutely nuts”
“... You don’t call it your spidey sense?”
“.... that’s a better name than Peter Tingle, i’ll give you that much”
The other man let out a bellowing laugh
“Oh, god, kid, you’re a riot”
There was a sound of walking
“I think your spidey sense knows what I can do” The man argued “But I wouldn’t do that to you, Peter”
“... But how do I know that?” Peter pressed
“Less than a minute, boss” Friday popped up
Tony heard steps again, and a sigh “Kid, you’re curiosity is a great thing about you, but I’m about done answering right now”
Tony spotted them on the roof, aiming his trajectory downwards.
He knew Peter could hear him coming. Whether the silver man heard him too was an open ended question.
When Tony landed with a crunch on the pavement, Peter turned his head to the overdramatic entrance, and the silver man did as well.
“... Gotta say, I am loving the red and gold on that thing. That’s impressive”
“Got a good scheme, I stick to it” Tony responded “Now, who the hell are you?”
“Ah, yes. Haven’t made myself known to the “me” of this universe” The silver-armored tony grinned “Allow me to introduce myself. Hello, Anthony” He shut his eyes for a moment, and when they opened, they glowed a brilliant and chilling blue “I’m God”
There was a pause.
“... Sure, buddy. God” Tony answered. “And what, pray tell, is God doing?”
“Looking for his right hand” The silver Tony responded. “Pete and I were just conversing, weren’t we, Pete?”
“Uh…” The boy’s shoulders were stiff “And uh, I said no”
Tony understood why the emergency alarm was tipped.
“And I was about to give him an offer he can’t refuse” The silver tony nearly sneered.
“Uh huh, sure buddy.” the older tony clenched his fists “How about you get outta here. No is no”
“That’s not your choice to make, Anthony”
“Uh, yeah, no, you can’t call me that”
“Well, that’s something we share.” The silver tony turned to Peter “Come on, Pete. You told me you’re just friends with this guy”
Peter frowned behind his account “I told you no” The teen aggressed.
“And I told you i thought that was a dumb decision” He argued back
There was a charged up noise
“He was being nice. I’m not. Back away from my kid”
There was a pause
“.. so you lied, Pete?”
“... More like I just didn’t tell the whole truth?” The boy argued.
Silver Tony let out an annoyed huff, as if a disappointed Parent.
“You know, I keep going from dimension to dimension, telling myself just one rule. Find a Pete that's alone, you know, like I am. A spider-man without an Iron Man.” he clenched his fists “Where the hell are they?”
“... Not here” Tony lowered his blaster for a moment, but Peter could see that he was still tense “What happened to yours?”
“.... I could’ve saved him. If he had just not been such a stubborn bastard”
“...That’s not what you told me” Peter commented
“... Your stubborn ass wouldn’t take the fuckin’ antidote” the silver Tony sneered. “Something about how disappointed he was in me, and how much it hurt to watch me “fall””
Peter’s spider sense nearly screamed “.... He didn’t want it. He let himself die”
The silver Tony’s fists clenched tightly.
“Okay buddy, you’ve had your fun. I'm gonna request this once before I start getting a little more aggressive.” Red Tony announced “Bounce off to your next dimension. Look in the vague direction of my kid, and you’ll end up with way more than just a headache”
The silver Tony didn’t move. “... One last chance, Pete” He said, but didn’t turn to look at the young hero. Something in Peter told him that Silver Tony knew the answer.
“... Sorry dude, try another dimension”
The silver Tony rolled his eyes, and, against better judgement, turned to face Peter, perhaps to say bye, perhaps to try one more time to convince him-
But stead was met with a metal fist to the face, knocking him over in spectacular fashion.
“... i said, don’t look at him” Was all Peter’s Tony said.
He chuckled “... Good to know that’s the same here.”
“.. What’s the same?” Red Tony asked
“.. He’s one of the only people in the world you give a shit about” Silver Tony shook his head, standing and facing Red Tony. “Have a good life, older, less attractive me”
“Already got it” Red Tony shrugged.
Silver tony shook his head, tapped his ear, and flashed away so quickly that Peter jumped.
“...... Well, I’m happy that's over” Tony let out a deep breath.
Peter nodded “uh, thanks”
“Kid, you never use your SOS. Of course I came”
Peter managed a smile for his mentor “Yeah but like.. That musta been really weird for you. That guy, he sent my spider sense into hyperdrive… something was really screwing him up” The boy contemplated.
“.. I think it’s cause he didn’t have his spider-kid” Tony surmised “Now, get your mask back on and get your ass back home. You need to be bright eyed and bushy-tailed when you get to the lake house. Morgan’s exact words”
Peter couldn’t help but chuckle and he pulled his cowl back on “Somehow I doubt that she said it like that, but I’ll take your word for it”
“Happy trails, Spider-man” Peter could practically hear Tony’s smile “See you at dinner”
“See ya, Iron Man” Peter yelled back as he turned on his heel and leaped off the brownstone, hearing the sound of repulsors behind him.
This time however, there was no anxiousness or spider sense. Peter briefly wondered how his extra sensory perception could tell, but they’d have time to discuss that with Mister stark over ice cream on the porch.
All in all, it had still been a pretty good day.