Chapter Text
Peter Parker was proud of many things in his life. He was one of the top students of the class, he went to an amazing high school and luckily would go to MIT. Hell, he was Spider-Man, he saved people every day, he fought big weird purple aliens on a daily base.
However, he was not proud of his current situation. He had called his aunt May the moment he stepped out of Midtown to take the subway, explaining that he would be coming home late that night. Now, now he was acting like a toddler. Arguing over the kitchen island with Iron man himself.
“Mr. Stark, please.” He putted on his best puppy’s eyes. “Don’t do this to me. You can cancel it!”
“I approved it, kid.” Tony wasn’t bother at all. He sip his coffee calmly, ignoring Peter’s protest.
“See! You approved, now you can an-approve it. Say that, the building burned down or something, I don’t care.”
“No, thanks. Anyway, gotta run, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Or anything I would do.”
He stood there, alone. His heart was beating too fast, his mind running over every possible scenarios. No one believed him, Flash even made fun of him. His professor had corner him after class to warn him, well, more like threat him, to stop lying around about his internship. Peter was really tempted to call Mr. Stark in that instant, but he figured that if they believed the official papers were fake, so would be the call, AI can do anything nowadays.
Then there was the tower staff. He always went to interns’ labs to help them and search inspirations, most of them knew Peter by name. At least more of the Avengers were out on missions, sure, he could ran into Wanda or Dr. Banner, but they were nice enough to leave Peter alone. Mr. Stark would be busy hiding away from Pepper in his lab, he was the real problem, very keen to embarrass Peter.
None of it relax him, tho. His breath were becoming more quickly, his hands were drowning in sweat. When he was bitten by a radioactive spider, his senses went up to eleven. Right now, they felt more like fifteen. The silence was screaming in his ears.
He tried to cover them with his hands, but the sweat against skin was too much for him. He tried dropping to the floor, ice cold marble and rough jeans. He let his head fall between his knees, still, the texture of his pants were worse than the bright light.
And then, when the world felt too small, it grow again. The lights were turn off. Big, soft headphones were put carefully in his head, a nice melody playing. The tip of his fingers found the metal of his water bottle.
All he could think about was water. Water is good. Water makes it better. Vaguely, in the end of his mind, he knew someone was there too, helping him through his panic. He didn’t had the strength to give it much thought.
“It’s alright, darlin’” Steady fingers took his. Warm, big hand, safe.
They didn’t talk any further. Just two boys in the kitchen floor. Alone and together at the same time, connected only by their hands. And for hours, it was just them and two hearts beating simultaneously.
At some point, one head fell into the other’s shoulder, drawn by sleep and comfort. In the air, oil, cedar wood, mandarin and coffee, met, mixing together in a familiar scent.
Later, once all calm down, Peter took off his headphones and came back to the real world. Harley was fast asleep resting over him, drooling in his t-shirt. Carefully, he picked him up and carried him to bedroom. Harley moved in almost a whole year ago, so he had a permanent bedroom next to Tony’s. Peter still lived with his aunt May, it was rare for him to stay overnight, a room for him wasn’t necessary. When they started dating, every possible night was spent in the same bed.
He throw a blanket over him, letting a kiss over his forehead before going. He needed to clear his mind, nothing better for that than Spider-man, swinging was therapeutic.
He spent close to three hours around the city, stopping mugs and practicing new tricks. His backup was webbed in some random ally in Queens, far away from the tower. Thankfully, it wasn’t robbed this time. New York wasn’t known for clear air or pretty star sky, but being outside help him relax, no matter the conditions.
The morning finally came. He had manage to fall asleep thirty minutes before his alarm went off, after hours of laying in the bed and even more hours of patrol. He tried to play the sick card, as a desperate last attempt to get out, his aunt May didn’t bought it. Needless to say he was exhausted when he dragged himself out of bed.
For once in his life, he wasn’t late to class. He kind of hoped he would be, the bus wouldn’t wait for him. However, it was very possible that May would get him to the tower herself, it was better this way.
The stayed quiet, ignoring Flash comments about his ‘fake internship’ and jokes that weren’t funny. Mr. Harrington gaze was fixed on him the whole time during the long explanation about following rules, such as not running away, as if Peter Parker would ever even think of doing it -he did, he had done it multiple times now. Music was playing throw his earbuds, they weren't suppose to have them but getting detention was very low in his worry list.
The Stark tower materialize in front of them. It was huge, as high as any skyscraper in New York, the side all cover in glass giving it a shinning appearance and the Avengers logo clear as the sun. It was intimidating, even for him after years going there, but it was also weirdly comforting. He couldn't help but remember all the nights in the couch with Harley and Mr. Stark, the late night lab sessions, training with some of the stronger superheroes in the world. It was somewhat nice, different from his old life, before the radioactive spider.
The came to a stop, the bus was buzzing with enthusiasm, this was a once in a life opportunity, how many teenagers got to see the insides of Stark Industries? Well, he did, all the time.
"Peter! Peter, dude, this is amazing!" Ned, old known best friend, was clinging to his arm.
"Dude, I've invited you over, multiple times. You've work with me in my lab!"
"And you have a lab! Do you think we'll get to see it."
That set a new course of thoughts in Peter. His lab was right next to Tony's, it was his own sanctuary. At first, he was scare, it was big and full of expensive stuff from a chemistry zone to his own built a robot. Both were set in a underground level almost no one had access to, knowing Tony, he had granted them permission to go only to embarrass him. A visit to his lab would be a compleat disaster, his classmates could find out about his secret identity and then his whole life would collapse.
"Calm down, Spider-boy." Whispered MJ in his ear, passing him the hair tie she had in her wrist. He just smiled, it really helped keeping his hands occupied.
Slowly, the class made it inside the building. Everyone was staring at the high ceilings, a modern look that could had only been Pepper's work. He tried to stay behind, maybe he would pass incognito and no one would bother him.
Joke's on him for thinking he could have a normal field trip.
Emily, the current receptionist, was talking to Mr. Harrington as they waited for the tour guide to arrive. Now, while exploring the tower, -yes, that was a thing he did in his free time- he had come across some tour groups, usually it was Tom or Hayden with them.
Nothing in Peter Parker's life could possible be usual.
A familiar voice he had not expected to hear came across him. "Good morning! You must be midtown's class, it's so nice to meet you all." The guide looked throw all the faces until finding Peter's, and broke eye contact rapidly with a wink.
That person was not suppose to be there. Was his first thought. Not as a tour guide, not losing time instead of doing world saving superhero stuff. Definitely not ruining any chance of relaxing in this trip.