Chapter Text
Tony: hey kid can you swing (pun) by the tower at 2:30 today?
Tony: there's someone I want you to meet
Child: I have school
Tony: till?
Child: 3:05
Tony: then I'll have Happy pick you up
Child: okay???
Tony: 👍
Peter looks up from his phone and back at the equation on the board in front of him right as his teacher speaks, "Peter can you answer this?" Mrs.Blooming asks impatiently, her eyes are narrowed at Peter expectantly. Things like this happen often, Peter gets distracted by something -normally on his phone- and the teacher -mostly Mrs.Blooming- catches him in the act. They ask him to repeat what they just said or answer something and Peter is thankfully almost always able to do it with ease.
"Uh…” Peter’s eyes dart across the bored quickly, him mind moving fast,“yeah is it, X19?"
"Yes, very good" She turns around, lips pursed
Peter nods and slips his phone into his pocket. Most teachers like him, he doesn't speak out in class, he gets good grades, he keeps his head down but not Mrs.Blooming. To be fair she seems to hate all her students so Peter isn't exactly that offended. The only thing that gets Peter is that nearly every day she picks on Peter for not paying attention instead of literally anyone else in the class. The only reason Peter isn't insanely frustrated by this is because he can answer most of the questions easily.
He looks up at the clock, 1:56. He wouldn't mind leaving early, Flash had been especially hard on him today. It started with the usual greeting, a Hey Penis Parker from him in the morning, Peter simply ignored him tiredly as MJ flipped Flash off for him. Then four shoves throughout the day. And to top it all off, a poke at Peter's beat up shoes. It dosent seem like much but the more he experiences it, the more frustrating it gets.
This period is his only hour of peace because Flash doesn't take it. Peter has the misfortune of having all his other classes with Flash, a cruel joke if you asked him. But at least he has this class.
Peter and Ned play chopsticks as they sit next to each other for the rest of class, neither one of them paying a y mind to the rest of the class. The teacher doesn't call on either of them and Peter is quietly thankful for that. He's not sure if it's because she doesn't care anymore or if she just doesn't notice but either way it's fine with Peter.
After seven minutes -Peter checking the clock every twenty second- the bell rings and Peter is the first one out, despite sitting in the back of the room.
He puts all but one of his books away into his locker, knowing he won't need anything else for the rest of the day. he rarely ever even uses his locker except at the beginning and end of the day, but the locker is on the way to his next class so it isn't too much of an inconvenience to him.
"Wanna come by my place after school?" Ned asks as Peter shoves books in his locker.
"Can't, gonna be at the tower. Happy is picking me up in…" He grabs Ned's wrist to look at the clock on it, not bothering to pull his phone out. The clock reads 2:07. "In twenty three minutes."
"What are you doing over there?" Ned muses as they start to walk to their next class, weaving their ways through the sea of students trying to get to their own classes.
"No idea, he was being super weird about it. Said he wanted me to meet someone." Peter dosent really give it much thought. Mr.Stark is into theatrics, being overly mysterious about stuff is a big part of his personality. He used to find it interesting, now after knowing Mr.Stark for years, he dosent give it a second thought.
"Hm."
They walk to class as MJ catches up with them after pushing herself off of a locker that she was leaning on while talking to a girl who's face was out of Peter's eye sight.
"Who was that?" Peter asks, an eyebrow raised, smirking.
Did Peter have a crush on MJ last year? Yes. But after MJ casually said they were a lesbian Peter didn't speak of his crush ever again. It was probably a good thing Peter didn't tell them he liked her or else he would never stop being made fun of.
"Your mom." MJ says deadpanned.
Peter simply laughs softly as they get to class. MJ always responds like that when Peter ever asks questions.
They make their way into class soon before the bell rings and the teacher sits in the front lazily. The teacher either looks very hungover or like he's about to collapse any second -possibly both.
Class is boring and quiet, the teacher ordering them to read a chapter out if their textbooks in silence before Peter is called out of the school.
Peter makes his way into the car and it starts without a word from Happy. Peter whips out his phone and looks at Tony and his last conversation. He can't help but feel curious about this one.
Peter attempts a conversation with Happy but is unsuccessful so instead he puts his headphones in as he drives around the city.
He knows the way by heart, he swings the same way after school. It's nice, familiarity in such a chaotic life. But the familiarity ends as Happy stops in fron kf the tower and Peter mumbles a Thank you before getting out and pressing his i.d. to the scanner.
The lobby is buzzing with familiar faces -though Peter hates to admit it he dosent know many of their names.
Though he does know the one of them sitting a couple feet away from him. Peter walks over to the receptionist desk and he greets the man with a smile.
"Heya Pete, how ya doin'" Luke greets back, he has the most New York accent ever for only being 20 something.
"I'm good, Stark had me get off school early so that's always a plus." They chuckle and Peter is sent on his way.
Knowing Tony isn't in the lobby he goes down to where Tony seems to be 90% of the time.
He walks into the lab and spots Tony talking animatidly to someone. Tony's back is to Peter, blocking Mystery Guest.
"Tony?" Peter calls out and Tony turns around fast enough to give Peter whiplash.
"Peter! There you are."
Peter smiles softly and drops his backpack on the floor next to him. Mystery Guest is still blocked as Tony stands in between of them.
"Oh! Also I wanted," Tony's voice fades out as he steps out of the way letting Peter's eyes fall onto the Mystery Guest and suddenly it feels as though Peter is stabbed in the chest -in the best way possible. His face is familiar, the same bumpy nose, wide shoulders, he even stands the same. Though the hair is different, it's still a sandy blonde with specks of brown, -their parents used to joke that they spent so much time together Peter "contaminated" the other boy's blonde hair, Peter used to believe it- though it's not as groomed, it's a bit all around the place like the wind. He likes it.
Peter gets something similar to deja vu. It feels so familiar. Most of Peter's memories from his childhood include the boy standing in front of him. The wide smile with slightly crooked teeth flashes in Peter's mind vividly and Peter feels as though he's experiencing them for the first time. In flashes he remembers some of their core memories. They met because they were both the last ones to be picked up at day care. They talked about the Iron Man with wonder in their eyes together. The blonde haired boy would draw as Peter would build building out of Legos. They made gross smoothies out of odd ingredients. They raided their parents drawers of old movies and would choose one just because of the covers. The blonde haired boy listened as Peter read out loud. They did everything together. Peter memorizing every detail about the other boy's face, it all being remembered once again.
He feels the other boy watching him with steady eyes. His head is cocked like he's trying to put a puzzle together though can't find where the last piece goes. But a light smile plays on his lips, and Peter loves how it makes his heart beat against his chest, unable to be controlled. He loves how familiar it all is. How it feels like everything all over again.
Time starts moving again and Tony continues though he never really stopped, "you to meet-" Peter is silent but the -not so- Mystery Guest cuts Tony off before he can introduce him.
"Peter" He finishes for Tony. His voice isn't familiar but Peter knows it's him. Harley fucking Keener.