Chapter Text
Chaos would be putting it lightly. For the first time since knowing Mr. Stark, the tower looked crowded. It seemed as if there were people at every corner, making the impossibly huge tower feel like a small trailer home.
"Cooper, give me back my hairbrush!" An angry shout from down the hallway.
"Lila, I have no idea what you are talking about!" The frustrated and loud retort of a sibling.
Peter heard the Barton kids arguing way before he saw them as he passed by the common room. Peter didn't want to be a bother and tell Mr. Stark, but all of these people were sending his super senses off the wall.
"I'm just saying, how are you getting that through the metal detector?" A snarky voice was heard, causing the thrumming in Peter's head to grow.
"Sam, could you stop being an ass for like five seconds and help me look for my passport?" Bucky huffed in return.
Peter continued down the hallway at a faster pace. Clearly, Sam and Bucky were bickering again, as if that wasn't normal.
Peter stumbled out of the way as Cassie and Nate ran past him in the midst of a Nerf gun fight. Foam bullets flew in every direction making thudding noises each time one collided with a wall, or floor, or any other object in the way. A sigh escaped Peter's lips as he rubbed his head, hoping to fend off the impending migraine.
"Nat, do you know why exactly Tony isn't just letting us take the jets?"
"Pepper's orders, she wanted a regular family vacation."
"There is no way we are even going to make it through security."
"That was the point, no weapons or gadgets allowed, Steve. Even FRIDAY is being powered off for the holiday."
"Tony really let that happen?" Peter could hear the astonishment in Steve's tone.
"I'm pretty sure he almost cried, actually."
Peter snorted quietly as he passed the doorway to the kitchen where Steve and Nat were trying to order dinner for everyone, if the phone and list in front of them were any indications. Their voices were the softest out of everyone he had come across so far and half of him considered to just sit in the tolerable room with them but something about the gentle humming of the lab was calling to him.
Once Peter finally made it to the elevator, he took a deep breath as he got a moment of absolute quiet. At last there was no arguments, no rushing movements, and nothing to aggravate Peter's sensitive ears. When he opened his eyes, the doors to the elevator had already closed, with a quick press of a button, he quickly made his way to the lab.
Entered the lab, he waved at Mr. Stark with a soft smile, "Can I hide out in here? It's really hectic up there."
"Just a second kid, I'm trying to finalize these updates before Pep shuts me out of my own systems," Tony replied, not completely listening as he was too absorbed in his work.
Peter didn't mind, it was calm in the lab. The whirring of machinery and the ACDC playing ever so softly from the speakers was like a lullaby to Peter. So, he just sat down in his usual lab chair and opened his notes on his web fluid. He might as well look it over while he sits here.
"Okay, Fri, how's it looking?" Mr. Stark questioned as he continued to mess with the hologram in front of him.
"It is still only 98% stable, boss," Friday informed.
"You know Mr. Stark, it is such a mad house up there, I mean I think Happy's cardiologist is going to need a raise." Peter chuckled.
"Peter, you gotta give me a minute, kid," Mr. Stark huffed in frustration.
Peter got up from his chair and walked over to Mr. Stark's hologram table. Mr. Stark must have felt his presence because immediately he turned around.
"Hey, hey, hey, kid. No looking." Mr. Stark scolded as he quickly closed the file.
"But you never keep any projects from me," Peter furrowed his brows.
"Well, now I do. Be a good spider and sit over at your own desk." Mr. Stark shooed him with his hands.
Pouting, Peter plopped back into his seat.
"Tones, I'm gonna murder these kids," Rhodey's voice came over the speakers.
"Friday, let Rhodey know that Pepper would not approve of his scrooge attitude." By Mr. Stark's tone, Peter knew he had rolled his eyes.
Turning around once again, Mr. Stark looked over at Peter and sighed.
"Hey kid, how about you go over to the scrap material box and sort through it for me? Maybe come up with an idea for a project we can work on when we get back?" Mr. Stark suggested.
"Yeah, okay, Mr. Stark!" Peter gleefully agreed, jumping up from his seat once again and sitting on the floor in the corner with the box of miscellaneous scrap parts.
Peter spent a good twenty minutes on the floor sorting through it. Some of it was promising but most of it really was just junk. It did give him some good ideas though.
Peter got up too fast, it was something Mr. Stark had to tell him all the time in the lab. He couldn't even count the number of times that the words 'slow down, Peter' had been uttered in this room.
Since Peter got up too fast, he tripped over his own feet and sent the box of scraps everywhere. It was just his luck that a particularly sharp piece of metal struck one of the many fire extinguishers in the lab. So now, the previously pristine lab was covered in flame retardant and scrap parts.
Peter slowly looked up to where Mr. Stark had been sitting with an apologetic smile plastered on his face. The blank look on Mr. Stark's face was worrying because that usually meant that he was moments away from losing his mind.
"You are lucky I just finished my project," Mr. Stark sighed, "clean it up before we leave, please."
Peter nodded excessively. He didn't mind cleaning the lab and that meant he could take his time and avoid the chaos upstairs. Maybe this was a good thing.
Mr. Stark shook his head fondly before turning on his heel and leaving the lab.
Well, it looked like Peter had his work cut out for himself.
"A part of me wishes I could just stay here alone." Peter chuckled to himself as he grabbed a rag and began to wipe down the table.
An hour later the intercom turned on, "Peter, come upstairs, the pizza's here. You can finish cleaning that mess up after dinner." Mr. Stark's voice rang out in the lab.
Sighing, Peter stood up and made his way back to the Avenger's floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Peter's ears began to ache as the loud raucous voices penetrated his senses once again.
"You are such a little twerp, Cooper!" Lila glowered at her brother.
"I've been telling you all day, Lila, I didn't touch anything. Not your hairbrush or your phone or your stupid earmuffs!" Cooper groaned in frustration.
It was a surprise that this many people could fit into one room. If it was anywhere but the tower, Peter wouldn't think it to be possible.
"I would love to give you the recipe, it was a dish my mother always used to make in Sokovia," Wanda smiled at Laura Barton.
"Daddy! Daddy! Did you see the new trailer for the Barbie movie? We are gonna go see it when it comes out aren't we!" Cassie begged Scott.
"I don't know if I should be getting on a small compact vessel that will be flying over the ocean." Bruce worriedly spoke to Rhodey.
"Tony, did you shut Friday down yet?" Pepper questioned with a raised brow.
All of these conversations were happening at once and Peter could hear it all. He could hear every shriek or laugh or even the beat of their hearts and it felt like he was going to explode.
He hurriedly grabbed a few slices of pepperoni pizza and tried to seclude himself in the corner. Peter hoped no one would try to start a conversation with him or he thought his ears might just bleed.
"Steve! Tell Sam that Sinatra is still the best singer of all time." Bucky shouted over to Steve.
"I can't do that Bucky because the answer is obviously Kitty Kallen," Steve shouted back.
"Okay, neither of you ice pops should be allowed to have an opinion on anything 'of all time' you don't even know what The Hobbit is," Sam scoffed.
"Sam, how many times do I have to tell you that The Hobbit came out in 1937, I read it when it first came out!" Bucky yelled indignantly.
"So anyway, I would love to send over an agreement for your father to look over for a joint project between Pym Technologies and Stark Industries for the new on-scene medical emergency kits," Pepper said to an interested Hope.
"No, Nate. Your dad already told everyone that you don't have permission to play with any slime blasters." Harley told Nate in a strict tone.
Peter had to get out of there before he threw up his dinner. He stumbled into the elevator and hit the button for the lab. Once he somehow made it into the room, he held his pounding head in his hands and pleaded for the faint feeling to go away.
"I wish it would all just disappear," Peter thought to himself as he faded in and out of consciousness.