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Peter had been staying with Tony and Pepper at the cabin while May was away on a trip with friends for a week. He was starting to go stir crazy. He loved Tony and Pepper and adored Morgan, but he wanted to see his friends so when Ned texted him about a group getting together to study he was overjoyed.
Peter found Tony in the lab, “Can I go to MJ’s to study with her and Ned?”
“Sure thing, Underoos. You need me to drop you off?” Tony asked.
“You don’t mind?” Peter asked hesitantly. He knew Ned’s mom would come get him but the lake house was way out of her way.
“Give me ten minutes and we’ll leave.” Tony confirmed.
~
Peter had honestly thought that Ned had invited him to study. He wished he had known that was code words for, “go to a crazy party.” Peter was getting overwhelmed and he had a bad feeling in his gut.
He tugged on Ned’s arm, “We’re leaving.”
“C’mon! Peter! We just got here!” Ned whined.
“No. Something is wrong. We need to leave now.” Peter hissed and wiggled his eyebrows hoping that Ned understood that he was talking about his six sense.
Ned sighed, “Fine.”
They made it about two blocks away when they saw the police cars pull up to the party they had just left. Peter and Ned walked a bit faster.
“Who can we call for a ride?” Peter asked his friend.
“Not my mom! She thinks we’re at MJ’s!” Ned’s eyes got wide at the idea of his mom figuring out that he wasn’t where he had said he would be.
“Well I can’t call Tony and Pepper for the same reason!” Peter threw his hands in the air in frustration.
“It’s a long walk back to my house.” Ned pointed out.
“Happy or Rhodey?” Peter asked.
“Whose less likely to out us to the adults in our lives?”
Peter snorted. Neither were a safe bet for that. He was hoping the person on the other end of the ringing phone would at least hear them out first though.
“Peter? Aren’t you at the Lake house?” Rhodey asked all the while continuing a conversation on the other line.
“Uncle Rhodey, are you in town?”
“Uh oh. What did you do?” Rhodey paused his other conversation to give Peter his full attention.
“Why would you think that I did anything wrong?” Peter laughed nervously.
“You call me Uncle Rhodey when you’re trying to avoid trouble or need help getting out of trouble.” Rhodey pointed out.
“Ned and I need a ride. Can you not tell Tony though? I promise to explain when you get here.”
“Better be a good explanation and you know I can’t promise anything like that. He’s my best friend.” Rhodey grabbed his car keys as he explained this to Peter.
“I know, I know. Can you just hear me out first?”
“Text me an address Pete.” Rhodey disconnected the call.
Peter kicked a stone and sent it flying into the street as he hung up the call, “Great. He’s going to tell Tony! Now I’m going to be in trouble!”
“Can you really be in trouble though? He’s not your dad.” Ned shrugged.
Peter frowned. Ned made a good point.
~
Rhodey dropped Ned off at his house. He then signaled and pulled out into traffic.
“You have until we get back to the house to explain and we can talk to Tony together.”
“I changed my mind. I don’t have to explain myself.” Peter shrugged.
“So you’re going to just talk it out with Tony?” Rhodey frowned.
“Nope.” Peter shook his head.
“Cool. This should be fun.” Rhodey rolled his eyes.
By the time they walked into the lake house Peter just flew up the stairs before anyone could question him. He knew Rhodey would say something and he knew Tony would want to talk, but Peter didn’t see why he needed to talk this out with him.
Sure enough a few minutes later Tony knocked on the door frame, “You want to tell me what happened?”
“Nothing to talk about.” Peter shrugged and grabbed some pajamas from his dresser.
“Well you weren’t at MJ’s studying.” Tony prompted.
“I’m tired. I’m going to shower.” Peter moved toward his connecting bathroom.
“Peter, I’m not done with this.” Tony ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“I am.” Peter walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
Tony walked downstairs, “We’ve officially hit the rebellious stage.” He told Pepper and Rhodey.
“He wouldn’t talk to you either?” Rhodey was holding back a laugh.
“This isn’t funny!”
“It kind of is. Peter thinks he’s in charge and you’re letting him.”
“Actually I read a book that said that kids tend to act out only with people they trust the most.” Pepper added to the conversation.
“So see this is a good thing.” Tony grinned.
“I didn’t say that.” Pepper rolled her eyes, “He’s still a kid and he needs boundaries and people who put them into place. He’s testing you. How are you going to handle it?”
“Yeah, what’s your play, Tony?” Rhodey teased.
“PETER BENJAMIN PARKER! COME DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT NOW!” Tony yelled.
“Morgan’s asleep.” Pepper glared.
“Oops.”
Peter came to the dining room and stared at all of the adults shuffling from one foot to the other.
“I’d like an explanation on what happened tonight. You aren’t the type to lie to me, Peter.” Tony motioned to the chair next to him but Peter made no move to sit down.
“Maybe I am. Maybe I’m the best liar and you just think I’m a not the type to lie because I’m that good at it.” Peter raised a brow.
“Kid’s got a point.” Rhodey said.
“Peter, cut the attitude. It’s late. I’m tired. Let’s talk about this so we can hug it out and go to sleep.” Tony pinched the bridge of his nose where a headache was forming.
“You can go to sleep because I have nothing to say to you. I don’t need to defend myself, and I don’t have to listen to you.” Peter glared ignoring the pang in his gut that told him this was wrong.
“This is my house and while you are staying in my house you will listen to Pepper and I.” Tony stood up and glared right back.
“Fine, then I’ll leave.” Peter yelled.
“I don’t think—“ Pepper stood up trying to interject but Peter just walked right out the front door. He didn’t even pause to put shoes on.
“What did that book say to do about this, Pep?” Rhodey teased.
~
Peter didn’t make it far before Tony drove up beside him. It wasn’t his fault that the driveway was three miles long, “Leave me be.”
“It’s not warm enough for a Spider-baby to be out here without shoes on. Get in the car.” Tony told him.
“No.” Peter just kept walking.
“Just tell me where this is coming from. Is this because you’re worried about getting into trouble over the party? Ned texted me and told me that you left before anything bad happened, Pete. He thought I’d want to know so that you got an easier punishment. You made the right call, Pete.”
“I know that!” Peter turned to yell.
“Then why are we yelling?” Tony asked.
“I don’t know.” Peter paused and looked at Tony though the open window, “Ned said that I can’t get into trouble because you aren’t my dad.”
“And you decided to test that to see if it rang true?” Tony asked.
“I just—I don’t know. Lost it a minute. I didn’t think it would be fair to get into trouble since I really thought we were studying tonight and I left as soon as things didn’t feel right. I also wanted to get into trouble I guess—Because I wanted to prove Ned wrong. I wanted him to be wrong so badly.” Peter wiped at the tears on his face.
“Well Bud, here’s the thing—You are so grounded. Ned didn’t drag you to that party. You went even though you knew what you had told me. You knew it was wrong. You were also a disrespectful little snot tonight so how’s that for proving him wrong?” Tony reached over to open the passenger door and Peter slid into the seat.
“Pretty good. You have a good dad voice.” Peter sniffled.
“I’ve been practicing, you know?” Tony winked before turning the car around.
~
The next morning as the family ate breakfast. Peter pulled out his phone and laughed at a Tie Tok that came through from Ned. Tony cleared his throat and held out his hand.
“You can stop proving Ned wrong now.” Peter mumbled as he handed over the phone.
“Make better choices.” Tony told the teenager.
“What choices did Petey make?” Morgan asked.
“I went to a party.” Peter explained.
“Daddy, I went to parties for my friends too and I never got in trouble. You should be nicer to Petey.” Morgan’s face scrunched up in confusion.
“Yes, but did you ask before leaving?”
“I gots an invite on the fridge, Daddy.” Morgan shrugged as if that made everything clear.
“Well Petey didn’t get any invite. He just went.” Tony made a face that showed his shock at this.
“Did the party have juice boxes? I would go with no invite if a party had juice boxes.” Morgan reached for more syrup as she talked but Pepper moved it out of her reach.
“Soda and water.” Peter left out the fact that there had been alcohol present too.
“Oh, I would have gone too. I never get soda.” Morgan took a bite of her pancake.
“See I had to go—For the soda.” Peter laughed.
“Well I hope the soda was worth it. You won’t be getting any for a long long time.” Tony explained.
“Don’t worry, Petey. He forgets lots. Somedays he says no juice pops and I ask later and he says okay.” Morgan told her brother.
“It’s because he’s old.” Peter nodded slowly.
“Keep sassing.” Tony warned.
“I plan to.” Peter laughed.