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“It’s just, he does so much for me, you know? And I want to do something nice for him for his birthday but I have no idea what to get him. He can buy anything! How could anything I do ever compare to that?” Peter slumped over his lunch tray, idly stirring a spoon through his applesauce.
“Peter,” Ned gave him a sympathetic look from his seat across the table. “I’m sure he’ll love anything you get him. Plus he’s your dad, it’s kind of his job to lie and say whatever you do is great.”
Peter set the spoon down and raised a brow at his friend. “Thanks man, that’s just the encouraging words I needed to hear.”
Ned rolled his eyes at Peter’s sarcasm. “Look, all I’m saying is I think you’re overthinking it.” He paused for a second and took a bite of his sandwich. “You said he owns everything right? Well, you could always make him something.”
Peter hummed and ran through his list of skills to see if any of them could be put to use for something he could make Tony. He supposed he could make something Iron Man related? But anything he could add to the suit that Tony didn’t already have was weapons, and Tony wouldn’t let him anywhere near the missile designs. Not that he would’ve built them even if he knew how.
Peter was still lost in thought when a shadow loomed over the edge of the table. He blinked the focus back into his eyes before looking up at the smug face of the academic decathlon’s least pleasant player.
Ned followed Peter’s gaze and rolled his eyes. “What do you want Flash?”
Flash folded his arms across his chest and leaned his hip against their lunch table. “Just stopping by. State is in a month, you dorks better make sure you’re not slacking off. Not that it matters to you but some of us actually want to put this on our college applications.”
Peter furrowed his brow and once again made eye contact with Flash. “Why wouldn’t you assume we also would want to put it on college applications? And that’s not the only reason to try hard in a competition either.”
Laughter filled their section of the cafeteria, but it came out sharp and not filled an ounce with humor. “Daddy’s little silver spoon thinks he actually needs merit to get into colleges? Please Stark, that’s bullshit and everyone knows it.”
By this point a good portion of the cafeteria was looking their way and most of the conversations around them had quieted. Peter swallowed, his anxiety flaring at the sudden attention. “That’s not–”
“Shut it, Stark. The only reason you’d get into an Ivy, the only reason you’re at this school, and the only reason you’re Mr. Harrington’s favorite fake genius is because of your last name.” He placed his two hands flat on the table and leaned in close to Peter’s face. “And don’t ever kid yourself into thinking otherwise. You know it, and everyone here at this school knows it too.”
Peter looked at his classmates, the students breaking eye contact as he glanced around the room. Peter blinked away the tears prickling the back of his eyes and bit his lip. He stood up and faced Flash head-on, he’d fought off a criminal that broke into Stark Industries and the paparazzi since he was five, he could stand up to Flash.
“You don’t know what you’re–”
Peter suddenly found himself on the ground, his arm hitting the seat painfully on his way to the floor. He curled his wrist to his chest as he flipped over onto his back. Flash stood over him with a satisfied grin on his face.
Ned stared open-mouthed, shocked that Flash would physically do something to Peter. Just as he was about to get up a teacher rounded the corner and quickly approached the two boys. “You two,” they both looked up, “principal’s office. Now.”
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Peter sat on a chair outside the principal’s office as he waited for his father to pick him up. He held his right wrist loosely in his left hand, a dark purple bruise already beginning to form. He quickly looked up when the principal’s office door opened. Flash walked out glaring dangerously holding a detention slip in his hand. He took the seat opposite Peter, his glare never softening. Principal Mortia glanced at the two of them before going back into his office.
“How does it feel to never have any consequences, Penis Stark?”
Peter huffed and kept his eyes downcast. It was true he didn’t get detention, but only because Ned and a few other classmates backed him up that Flash was the one to push him unprovoked.
“It won’t last forever Stark. Your dad may be the genius, but don’t ever fool yourself into thinking you’re even half the man he is.”
Peter closed his eyes at the last comment. Somehow Flash had a way of pinpointing his deepest insecurities and he hated it. It was his most prideful moment of the day that the tears which had been threatening to fall for the last hour didn’t.
The moment was short-lived because not even a minute later his father barrelled through the door, angry eyes latched firmly on him. He walked over to the receptionist and filled out the form she was holding for him. As soon as he finished signing he turned to meet Peter’s eyes.
“Up. Let’s go.” Peter pushed himself to his feet and leaned down to grab his backpack, switching at the last moment to his left hand.
Tony and Peter walked wordlessly through the halls until they reached the orange Audi Tony had parked out front. Tony buckled in and waited for Peter to do the same. They drove in silence, the only sound coming from the soft music of Tony’s Spotify playlist. Normally Peter would’ve been anxious at the uncharacteristic quietness coming from his father, but he was too consumed with Flash’s words.
By the time they got back to the tower all Peter wanted to do was lie in bed with a Star Wars movie and pretend he didn’t have to go back to school tomorrow after the cafeteria incident. Too bad Tony had other plans.
“Alright kid,” he tossed his briefcase into his office and sat down on the couch gesturing for Peter to do the same. “Let’s talk about why I was called out of a meeting because my kid got into a fight at school.”
Peter sat with his shoulders slightly turned in, his eyes fixed downcast on his lap. “I didn’t get into a fight.”
“Peter, don’t mumble. And look up, my eyes are up here.”
He took a deep, steadying breath before lifting his chin.
“Thank you. Now explain. The only thing your principal said was that there was a fight and you were being sent home. Is there detention involved, someone’s parents I should call–”
“I didn’t get detention.” Peter looked down once again. There was no way he was going to tell his father what Flash said to him. He didn’t need confirmation that he was right.
Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You’ve got to give me something here kid.” He softened his tone and reached out to place a hand on Peter’s knee. “You don’t get into fights Petey, this isn’t you. Tell me what happened.”
“Dad,” Peter bit his lip and debated what he wanted to say. “I didn’t get into a fight. It was a misunderstanding and I tripped. That’s it. I’m sorry you were pulled out of a meeting.”
He started to stand up but Tony leaned forward and grabbed his arm. “Peter I know that’s not all–”
He cut off as Peter hissed when Tony’s hand gripped his arm, the kid unable to contain the gasp of pain that came out of his mouth. Tony immediately narrowed his eyes, he shifted up the grip on Peter and pushed back his shirt sleeve. The sight of a dark purple bruise on the kid’s wrist made Tony’s eyebrows rise to his hairline. “Okay kid, I want the truth.”
When Tony released his arm, Peter sunk back into the couch cushions. There was no way he was wiggling out of this now. “Flash pushed me while I was eating lunch with Ned. Then a teacher walked in. That’s all.”
Tony tensed when he heard that one of Peter’s classmates was physically bullying him. “Why did he push you?”
Peter shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Peter.”
The 15-year-old swallowed and took a breath before answering. “He was mad.”
The words were barely even a whisper. Tony leaned in, trying to encourage his son now that he was going on the truth. “What was he mad about sweetheart?”
Peter melted at the nickname. He knew his dad was worried, but he didn’t think telling the truth was going to help. If anything Flash would get even angrier at him. One look at the inventor sitting across from him foiled that plan though, there was no way Tony was letting him out of this now that he began telling the story.
“Um...okay...you know how we have that academic decathlon meet coming up in a few weeks?” Tony nodded, the date had been circled in his calendar for the last month. “Well, Mr. Harrington has been talking about making me captain after Liz graduates this year. Flash is upset about it.”
“So that’s why he pushed you? Because you’re going to make captain over him?”
Peter hesitated. “Well...that’s part of it.”
Tony raised a brow, encouraging him to continue but not saying a word. Peter simply stared at him, waiting for he didn’t know what. Eventually Tony reached out and laid a hand on his knee, squeezing gently.
“Okay, he made a comment that…um…that the only reason I was one the academic decathlon team, and at the school, was because of you. And some other stuff, you know. Me never measuring up to you, it’s really not a big deal.” Peter trailed off at the end, talking almost exclusively to the hands in his lap.
Tony sat shocked across from him, his jaw hanging open and his eyes wide. “Peter.” The teen bit his lip, tears threatening to fall from his eyes at the stern tone his father used. Tony noticed and immediately softened. “Pete, sweetheart, look at me.” Tony waited, it took about half a minute but eventually his son looked up–tears running silently down his cheeks. The older man reached out, brushing them away in a no-fuss manner. “You know that’s not true. Peter every day you come down to the lab and assist in projects–Iron Man, SI, Shield–you work on all of it. You’re a little genius kiddo, hell you’re going to be smarter than me here soon I can feel it. You don’t need to “measure up” kid, you’re already way past me.” He smiled, pushing back a curl that fell over Peter’s eyes while he was looking down. “You’re at Midtown High because you’re the smartest kid I’ve ever met, and you’re on the academic decathlon team because you’re the smartest and most hard-working kid at your school.”
Peter rolled his eyes, but otherwise held his father’s gaze. Some part of him knew that Tony’s words were true, but it still didn’t quiet that small part of his brain that said otherwise.
Tony took a deep breath in through his nose and slowly let it out. “Listen, this Flash kid is a bully. He picks on you because he’s jealous, you’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met Peter. No, I’m serious.” He knelt down next to his son. “Peter you are strong, fiercely intelligent, so damn compassionate, and loyal to your core. You amaze me kid, and you can’t let one bully break down your confidence or make you feel less than. You are worthy and deserving of every accomplishment because of your hard work and your kind heart.”
Peter nodded, smiling down at his father through blurry eyes. “Thanks dad,” he croaked out.
Tony continued to stare at Peter, watching as he scrubbed a hand over his face to clean it. “Pete listen, you’re getting older and people are going to think they’re entitled to give you opinions about who you are and how you should live your life. This Flash kid is just one of the many like that. It’s not easy to brush it off, especially when it hits close to home, but you have to keep reminding yourself that you are awesome. Say it to me.”
Peter laughed, shaking his head and looking down, not thinking his dad was serious.
“Come on Petey, say it. I’ll wait here all day kiddo.”
Peter huffed and leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. He stared down Tony, but the man held his gaze unflinchingly until Peter relented. He sighed and once again leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “I’m awesome.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t hear that. What did you say?” Tony smirked.
“I’m awesome,” Peter said louder.
“Still didn’t hear you kiddo, one more time for me?”
“I’m awesome!”
Tony laughed at the outburst, grinning wide at the small smile Peter was giving him. “That’s my boy. You are awesome, Peter. And I’m always going to be right here if you need a reminder. It’s you and me kid, I’m not going anywhere.”
Peter smiled and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Tony’s neck. He buried his face in the man’s shoulder, breathing in his cologne. After a couple minutes he pulled back. “I love you, dad.”
Tony stood up, he leaned over and pressed a kiss on the top of Peter’s head before ruffling his hair. “I love you too kid. You’re going to go back to school tomorrow, face your students and this Flash kid, and tell yourself that you’re awesome. You have people in your life who love you and know how awesome you are. And if you can’t tell yourself then you always have people to lean on–me, Ned, MJ, hell I know Happy would even bust down the doors of your school to fend off a bully.”
Peter laughed as Tony walked over to the freezer and pulled out a frozen bag of fruit. He brought it and a glass of water back with him and plopped back on the couch next to Peter, handing him the bag first then the glass. “Alright kiddo, let’s watch some Back to the Future. We need some 80’s humor to clear the space then you’re getting started on your homework.”
The movie started and the opening credits flashed across the screen. Peter leaned over until his head hit Tony’s shoulder. Tony draped an arm across the back of the couch and Peter settled more firmly against his side. He smiled down at the teenager on his arm, thinking about how he ever got this lucky.
Also about his plans to talk with Peter’s principal on the bullying program. But that could wait until tomorrow.