Chapter Text
“Stark Industries Intern Competition. Dude!! We could become Tony Starks personal intern,” Ned read excitedly.
Peter glanced up from the Lego set they were currently building to read more from Ned’s tablet. He quickly scanned the sheet then sighed sadly. The applicants had to be aged 16-21.
“Darn, we’re both too young, Ned. That’s dumb you gotta be 16 to apply.”
Ned smiled mischievously, “Peter, you are literally the smartest person I know! You could so get it. We just would have to lie about your age or something, but we can totally fake it!
Peter shook his head, “Dude, I’m only 13. And you’re 14, there’s no way they aren’t going to notice that we are lying.”
“Well, maybeeeee if you are the smartest one, they won’t care that you’re too young. Like age is just a number or something, right? You just gotta have the best project!”
Peter thought about it for a second before he sighed, “I mean there’s no harm in just submitting a project, right?”
“Right! And your solar panel project is already amazing!”
“I still have to calculate a lot of variations for the best output, but yeah!”
They went back to playing with Legos. Peter was grateful he had such an amazing friend like Ned. He didn’t have a lot of luck with other areas, but he knew he’d always have a friend he could depend on.
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Tony, Pepper, Morgan, and Skylar were all in the penthouse together. Pepper was in the kitchen finishing up dinner. Tony sat at the table next to Morgan, who was doing homework and across from Skylar who was coloring with crayons. He loved little moments like this with his family. He had a lot more of them since he and Pepper semi-retired to be able to spend more time with their kids. They still were both an active part in the large decision making of Stark Industries, but they no longer worked with the small details. That’s why Pepper suggested he do this internship, he had the time, and it would be good PR as well as helping to invest in the next generation. He was currently scrolling through the intern applicants on a tablet.
He had been procrastinating looking through the applicants, but the deadline was coming up, and Pepper would have his head if he didn’t have his choices ready.
That’s when he came across a project that caught his interest. It was a new method of solar panels that could have their output up 200% while cutting back costs in manufacturing.
Scrolling through the blue-prints and write up, Tony was thoroughly impressed. He went to the information about the applicant. His name was Peter Parker. However, when he went to pull up more information, there was no age or school records. Who would turn in an amazing project like that yet not have filled out the entire application?
“Friday, honey. Pull up all the information you can on Peter Parker and send it to my tablet, please.” His computer immediately flashed with a picture of a young boy who was 13 years old. “Hmm, very interesting.” He said to himself.
He found out that his parents had died a few years previously, where he and his younger sister, Presley, were then placed with an aunt and Uncle. Tragedy struck again only a year ago when his uncle died. After his uncle’s death, there were records of him and his sister being placed in foster homes for a couple months until things were apparently cleared, and they were able to be placed back in their aunt’s custody. Peter was a ninth grader at Midtown Tech, the most competitive school in the state.He had even gained their full-ride scholarship. He got a perfect score on the admissions test to the school and beat the previous record by a large percentage. He won the science fair that year already and was top of his class. The aptitude test he took at school showed his IQ to rival Tony’s own.
Tony also saw that his sister Presley was a first grader at Benjamin Academy, which happened to be the school his daughter, Morgan, attended.
Tony glanced at her, watching with a smile as she concentrated on her math problems. She had her tongue stuck out as she wrote the answers.
“Morguna? Do you know someone at school named Presley? Presley Parker? She’s your age.” He tilted his tablet so she could see Presley’s school photo.
Morgan’s face split into a wide grin. “Yuh! We play on the playground together all the time! And she taught me how to do a cart-wheel and other cool tricks! A-and she said she likes my light-up ironman shoes!”
Tony chuckled and ruffled her hair. “That’s awesome, baby. She seems really nice.”
Morgan turned to him, “She is nice to me, but one time she cried at school! But, Ms. Johnson said she just gets sad sometimes cause she doesn’t have a mommy and daddy like me, so I have to be extra nice to her when she’s sad.” Morgan rambled without taking a breath.
Tony looked at his young daughter. “Yes, Little Miss, you’re exactly right. Maybe if you try extra hard to be her friend, it could help make her feel better.” “I wanna see, too!!” Skylar yelled hopping down from her chair and rushing to Tony’s. She was threes years old and, in the phase, where she wanted to be included with everything. Tony scooped her up and sat her on his lap giving a kiss to the side of her head. He showed her the school photo of Presley.
“Pretty,” Skylar announced turning herself around on Tony’s lap so she could lean against him. Tony hummed lowly, “You tired, baby?”
“No,” Skylar declared resting her head on Tony’s chest and closing her eyes.
Pepper had walked over to the table setting down their food, then scooping up Skylar from her dad to place her on her booster seat. She let out a loud whine. “You have to eat your dinner first, sweetheart. Then you can cuddle Dad.”
She didn’t answer but started eating her food. From the moment she was born, she was always a Daddy’s girl. She would be content to watch Tony work for hours as long as she could see him. Tony took major pride in this and wasted no opportunity to be with his little girl.
“Have you decided on an intern yet?” Pepper asked Tony as she moved Morgan’s homework off the table and then sat down.
“Well, there is a kid named Carter Sawyer, 17, who’s project I liked. But the most impressive applicant by far was this thirteen-year-old kid. Peter Parker. He’s so smart though, Pep, like major genius level. I want him. I need him before someone else like Oscorp snatches him up. I’m even surprised he hasn’t been looked at before. His IQ is off the charts.”
Pepper looked at him surprised. “Tony, you specifically wanted someone older, so you didn’t have to ‘babysit some snotnosed kid around your lab.’ Just go with the 17-year-old. I’m 99% sure a 13-year-old can’t even have an internship of any kind. We can keep him in our books for a couple years in the future though.”
Tony nodded and started eating his food, but he couldn’t get this Peter kid off his mind.
Morgan was telling them some story about her day, but he was only half listening. Tony motioned to her food, so she would eat. She had a habit of getting so caught up talking that she forgot about her dinner.
“Pep, that kid, Peter, the thirteen-year-old. He’s going to be so bored at his school. I don’t care how great the school is, he’s way too smart for the ninth grade.”
Pepper just nodded along knowing Tony was going to continue with more.
“What if I take the Carter kid as my official intern, but I convince Peters guardian to let me supplement his education or something. Like he could leave his school early and do his math and science lessons here with me.”
“Are you really serious about helping this kid, Tony?”
“Yes, I just got a feeling about him.”
Pepper nodded and agreed that they could try to put something together where Tony could help mentor the kid. After some talking to the right people, they had a plan that would now only have to be approved by Peters Aunt.
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“That’s how Peter found himself three weeks later with Tony Stark showing up at his door.
Aunt May was out. Probably drinking or doing who knows what.
So, it was just Peter and his little sister, Presley, who was six years old.
Peter knew that one could call Aunt May neglectful, but he was doing fine taking care of himself and his sister. They didn’t need her, or anyone else for that matter.
Peter was just starting to make his famous spaghetti (really the only meal he could make that tasted halfway decent) when there was a knock at the door.
Presley jumped up from her spot on the couch yelling, “I’ll get it!”
Both Peter and Presley assumed it would be Mrs. Dobson, their neighbor, who sometimes brought them cookies or other treats from her bakery on the way home from work.
She was a sweet old lady, and one of the only adults Presley actually liked and would talk too. Presley threw the door open smiling up waiting to greet Mrs. Dobson. She let out a soft “oh,” of surprise when she saw a tall man standing outside her door and not the old lady.
It took her all of one second to recognize the man in front of her. Tony Stark.
Her eyes widened as she exclaimed “Woah! You’re Iron-man!” way to loud to be considered appropriate. She immediately realized her outburst and her extreme shyness took over again.
The man just chuckled and knelt down to shake her hand. “That I am, and you must be, hmm, let me guess. Peter Parker’s sister, Presley?” He asked exaggeratedly. “Am I right?” he asked raising one eyebrow.
She nodded her head, “Yes, sir.” she announced shyly smiling down at her shoes.
Tony smiled at her warmly before standing up and looking directly at the young man himself who was positioned halfway between the kitchen and the door.
Peter stood there in awe as he watched their interaction. Muttering a no freaking way when he saw the man at their door was indeed Tony Stark.
Peter quickly recovered from his stupor and made the rest of his way over to the door. He stood directly beside Presley.
“Ahh, Mr. Parker. Just the kid I was looking for. Is your aunt home? I need to speak to both of you.” Tony said with an easy smile and confidence only a man as powerful as Tony Stark could muster as he shook Peters hand.
“Um, n-no sir. She is, uh, still at work” Peter lied, probably not too smoothly by the way Mr. Stark eyed him suspiciously.
“When will she home then, hmm? I will need her to sign all the proper documents in order for you to be my intern” Tony said with a knowing smile a little wink.
Peters jaw dropped, “W-w-what? I don’t understand? I thought there was no way I’d win. You have to have known I’m not old enough to be a real applicant.”
“Yes, Mr. Parker. But your project impressed me so much, that I thought I could overlook that little problem. I looked you up, and what can I say, you impressed me.”
“Wow, Mr. Stark! Thank you so much!” Peter said shock and happiness filling him up.
“Now, when will that aunt of yours be home? Pepper is making me do this all the right way, and we will need her permission and signature.” Mr. Stark asked walking into his house and sitting on the couch.
Peter watched dumb founded. He then quickly shut the door and pushed himself and Presley to walk over to the couch.
“She probably won’t be home for a long time! Like maybe even forever” Presley so helpfully supplied.
Peter gave her a quick death glare before turning to Mr. Stark with a forced smile. “What? Haha, Kids.” Peter awkwardly chucked before continuing, “She actually works the night shift, so she won’t be back until the morning.”
Tony set his calculating look on Peter. “Hmm, and she lets you two stay home all alone, does she?”
“Well, I’m very responsible, sir. And um, she asks the neighbor to come check in on us sometimes, so it’s really no big deal” Peter replied.
“hmm, okay, then. How about you and I talk now, and I can leave you with the paperwork, and then I will call your aunt tomorrow to work everything out and find a time to meet with her.”
“Yes, sir. That sounds good to me!” Peter answered, praying Aunt May would be sober enough to answer tomorrow.
The man smiled and nodded. His gaze moved over to the kitchen where a pot had water boiling over the edges.
Peter followed his eyes and immediately jumped up and ran to the kitchen to turn the stove off.
“Oops, I forgot I had that boiling.”
“Very responsible indeed, kiddo” Tony said sarcastically, but with a smile plastered over his face hiding his amusement. “How about I have pizza sent here so you don’t got to worry about finishing making dinner?”
“You don’t have to do that, sir! It’s no problem. I can just finish that… after you leave.” Peter scrambled to say sitting back down on the opposite couch from the man. He sat down right beside Presley. “Ah, ah, ah. No arguing. Its already done” Tony said finishing the order up on his phone.
“Well, thank-you then, sir.” Peter said softly.
“You’re welcome, kid. And you don’t have to keep calling me, sir.” Tony then turned his attention back to Presley.
“Presley, did you know that I have a little girl that goes to your school? And I think you just might know her. Her names Morgan”
Recognition hit Presley’s bright blue eyes. She nodded. “She asked if we could be friends today, and so now she’s my best friend.”
Tony exaggerated excitement for her, “Wow, sweetheart, that’s super cool. I bet we could set up a play date, so that you guys could play together. We’d just have to ask your Aunt May first.”
“Oh, she doesn’t care! I can have a playdate!” she exclaimed happily.
““Of course,” Tony chuckled, “We will have to have you over to play soon then. Now, Peter”
“Peter had a look of astonishment mixed with confusion on his face. Tony hid his amusement as he plowed on. “I bet you get really bored at school, right? So, what do you say, you come to the tower for your lessons in math and science? I talked to your school, and they already have you in the most advanced placement possible, but you still aren’t being stretched.”
“Tony continued telling Peter his plan and how his schedule could work if he and his aunt agreed to the little mentorship arrangement.
Tony was still taking on one intern from the competition, but he made arrangements so that Peter could be included in his plans. Peter would have his English, History, and Electives at Midtown Tech like regular, but then after lunch, he would be picked up and taken to the tower. There, he would be taught math, science, and whatever other things Tony wanted to teach him.
“The school agreed as long as he passes the finals for all the subjects he was learning; he would get full credit from them. He would be at the tower from 12:30-4:30, Monday-Thursday. Friday he would get to go home early straight after school. The other intern would be there with him on Mondays and Wednesdays, but the other days he would be with the research and development interns.
It would be way more challenging than his current schedule, but Peter couldn’t have wanted it more. He was always bored in classes, especially math and science. He knew he was too smart to be taking a ninth-grade math class no matter how advanced they said it was.
““So, what do you say, kid? You want to do it?” Tony asked.
“Tony knew he probably should be clearing this with the kid’s aunt first as to not get Peters hopes up, but he was excited, and he didn’t really see a reason for his aunt to say no. He wasn’t spending too much extra time doing school, it would just fit his skill level much better.
““It sounds amazing, Mr. Stark. I would love to do it! When could I start?” Peter immediately answered excitedly.
““As soon as we get your aunts permission. The other Intern is starting next week, so that would be ideal."
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