Chapter Text
Peter Parker had always been an overachiever. From acing his chemistry tests to helping rebuild the school’s robot for the science fair, he was the model student. But lately, things had been… different. In particular, the murmurs around the school had taken a sharp turn toward skepticism about his internship at Stark Industries.
It all started when Peter, in his usual unassuming manner, was overheard by a group of students that he’d been working at SI as part of an internship. It wasn’t exactly lying—Peter was working at Stark Industries—but he wasn’t exactly being forthcoming about the level of involvement. And soon, whispers began to swirl. The rumor mill churned, with people calling Peter’s claim exaggerated, impossible even.
"Stark Industries? Intern at Stark Industries?" Mrs. Shaw, Peter's biology teacher, had been the first to voice the doubt aloud, trying to mask it with a concerned tone.
By then, other teachers had picked up on the gossip. There was a general unease surrounding Peter’s claims, and most of them thought it was a desperate attempt to fit in or prove something. But instead of dismissing him outright, they chose to handle it delicately.
“You know what?” Mrs. Shaw continued. “Maybe we should have you submit progress reports to the counselor. That way, you can prove it, and we can all move on from this.” Her tone was gentle, but there was a clear expectation for Peter to either confirm or deny the internship with more concrete evidence.
Peter agreed, though he hadn’t exactly expected to be forced into this corner. But he dutifully submitted his reports. Every two weeks, the school counselor, Mr. Hawkins, received a new stack of documents from Peter: detailed progress reports, letters of recommendation from various departments at Stark Industries, and even a few research papers he'd worked on for Tony. No one could accuse Peter of being unprepared.
Mr. Hawkins, to his credit, never doubted Peter’s potential. He could see the genius behind those reports. He was impressed by Peter’s insight and deep technical understanding. But Stark Industries was notoriously selective. It was a hard internship to get, and even harder to hold onto. So, one afternoon, after reading through the latest report, Mr. Hawkins decided to verify Peter’s claims.
He placed a call to the Stark Industries internship department. He was delighted to speak to the robot FRIDAY, explained his intentions, and soon the call went through. Expecting to speak with a secretary or an assistant, instead, he was transferred to Tony Stark himself.
At first, Tony was terse, not exactly rude, but clearly distracted.
“Tony Stark here,” he answered, a hint of impatience in his voice.
"Hello, Mr. Stark, this is Mr. Hawkins, the school counselor for Peter Parker. I’m calling to verify some details about his internship."
There was a brief silence. Mr. Hawkins could hear the soft clinking of metal and the faint sounds of machines in the background.
"Peter Parker? Yeah, I know him," Tony said, his voice now warmer, but still wary. "I’m guessing you’re concerned he’s lying or something, right?"
“No, not at all,” Mr. Hawkins responded quickly. “Peter’s a brilliant student. I just want to confirm the legitimacy of his internship. Stark Industries is a very competitive program, and I just wanted to check in about his progress and—"
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Tony interrupted. “It’s hard to believe, right? I’ll tell you this: Peter’s working here. He’s brilliant. Doesn’t have the best social skills, but the kid’s a genius. If you’ve got a question, just shoot. I’ve got time.”
Mr. Hawkins blinked, somewhat surprised by the tone shift. “Oh… well, I just wanted to make sure you’re actively overseeing his work, that he’s truly contributing and learning.”
“Of course,” Tony replied, no longer dismissive. “You need to know he’s in good hands, huh? I’ll tell you what, if you need anything else, I’m your guy. Feel free to reach out anytime about Peter, okay? He’s one of the brightest we’ve got, and I’ve got his back.”
"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Mr. Hawkins said, grateful for the reassurance. "I appreciate that. I’ll make sure Peter knows I’ve spoken to you."
The call ended, and Mr. Hawkins leaned back in his chair, satisfied. Tony Stark had validated Peter’s internship, and he didn’t sound like someone who took that lightly.
That evening, Mr. Hawkins was surprised when a sleek, polished Stark phone arrived at his house. The package was accompanied by a note that simply read: “You’re doing a good job. -T.S.”
Mr. Hawkins smiled, somewhat bemused. He’d been doing his job for years, but this was… different.
A few weeks later, Mr. Hawkins found himself pacing nervously in his office. Peter had been facing more bullying recently. The students didn’t believe the reports, they didn’t believe Peter.
They teased him, laughed when he tried to talk about his internship, and made cruel comments about his credibility.
Mr. Hawkins had seen enough. He had an idea, one that could help Peter and also elevate his own standing as an educator. He took a deep breath and called Tony Stark’s office.
Tony answered on the first ring. “Yeah?”
“Mr. Stark, it’s Tom Hawkins. I’m—uh—calling about Peter again.”
Tony’s voice softened. “What’s going on?”
“It’s about the bullying. The students don’t believe Peter’s internship is real. He’s being ridiculed, and I’m afraid it’s really affecting him. I’ve been thinking about a way to help him without forcing him to give proof of something he shouldn’t need to. What if we organize a tour of Stark Industries for his science class? Something formal, so they see for themselves that Peter’s not lying.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. Tony let out a low chuckle.
“You’re a smart one, huh? I like that. You think it’ll work?”
Mr. Hawkins hesitated but nodded. “I do. It’ll help Peter. And it’ll give the students the proof they’re craving without putting Peter in an uncomfortable position.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to Pepper,” Tony said, “and we’ll make it happen. In fact, you can tell the school you’ve already got the approval from me. We’ll get the junior science classes there in no time.”
A moment later, Tony conference-called Pepper, and they quickly worked out the details of the tour. The school would get official confirmation that Peter was truly interning at Stark Industries, and the other students would see firsthand the incredible work Peter was involved in.