Chapter Text
Peter was excited to be spending the summer at the tower this year. That meant longer lab hours, more movie nights with Tony (and occasionally Pepper), getting burgers or ice cream with Happy, and game nights with Rhodey.
Currently Peter was packing up some last minute bags of stuff before Happy came to pick him up for the summer. Aunt May's flight to Australia leaves later in the afternoon, so after Happy drops him off he will take May to the airport.
“Hey Pete!” May yelled down the hall. “Your rides here”
“Coming May!” Peter yells back, grabbing his bags quickly.
In the living room, he doesn’t see happy, instead he sees... “Hey Mr. Stark, what are you doing here” in his signature red glasses and three piece suit. He must’ve come from some meetings, he thought. He drops his bags and puts an arm out showing his surprise.
“Hey kiddo” Tony crosses the room putting an arm around Peter's shoulders lightly squeezing one. “I decided to let Happy have the morning off and pick you up myself instead. Couldn’t let Aunt Hottie here leave without saying goodbye to her favorite person” Tony winks at May.
“Yeah Yeah, whatever” May rolls her eyes. “Come here and give me a hug before you leave Pete”
Peter gives May a hug, before Tony comes and sandwiches them into a group hug. Peter giggled.
“Mr. Stark what are you doing”
With that confused but knows what he’s doing look. “Oh am I ruining a moment here?” releasing from the hug.
“Yes!” May and Peter say in unison laughing. May grabs Peter by the face and gives him a peck on the forehead. “Alright you two get a move on before the water works start” Her eyes tearing up lightly.
“I think it’s too late for that” Tony looks at Peter whose face is all scrunched up like a puppy trying to hold back the tears clearly coming out his eyes.
Peter gives a look to Mr. Stark, then turns towards his Aunt.
“Aww baby, it’s gonna be okay, it's only for the summer” May gives Peter another big hug resting her head on his brown curls. “You're going to have so much fun with Tony” glancing over to Tony. He gives her a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry piccolo, I have a whole summer of fun planned out” Tony places a hand on Peter's shoulder as they release from each other's embrace. Tony moves over to May to give her a goodbye hug. “Have a good time in Australia, Pepper says Hi, Goodbye, Have Fun, Good Luck, pretty much all of the above” he says with a smile and a peck on her head.
“Thanks Tony, you keep a good eye on our kid while im gone or else-”
“-Yeah yeah, your gonna rain hell fire on me” Rolling his eyes “hmph” May smacks him in the arm for cutting her off.
“C’mon bud lets get a move on, Rhodeys flying in later around dinner” Tony grabs Peter’s bags off the ground.
Walking towards the open door Peter turns around. “Bye May! Have a good time!” Stumbling out the door. “Don’t forget-”
“Our weekly call every Wednesday night, don't worry I won’t,” she winks. “Keep an eye on Tony, don’t let his ego get to that head of his” She responds before the door shuts on the boys.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pulling up to the tower, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ blasts from Tony's phone.
Fishing his phone out of his pocket “Go ahead kid, I’ll meet you up there in a minute. Just gotta take this call real quick”
“Okay Mr. Stark” Practically skipping off like an excited puppy.
Peter steps into the elevator connected to the garage.
Welcome back Mr. Parker, It is good to see you. What floor will you be heading to today?
“Hi Friday! It’s good to be back” Peter responds practically bouncing. “Straight to the Penthouse” he raises a finger pointing upwards.
As the elevator doors open he sees Pepper and Rhodey sipping on what is probably tea.
“Peter!” Pepper says enthusiastically leaving Rhodey's side to envelope Peter in a hug.
“Hi Miss Potts” Peter blushes as he hugs her back
Leaning back to look at him with a smile.“Now how many times have I told you it’s Pepper”
“Sorry, Pepper,” he giggles.
“Hey kiddo! Where’s that ‘mentor’ of yours?” Rhody asks, clasping him on the shoulder with a grin.
“On the phone, he said he’d be up in a minute” Peter responds with a smile. His smile quickly twists to a confused look, brows furrowed. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be here til tonight?”
Rhodey laughs,“Ahh yes, I was able to leave earlier than expected from the base so I flew over in the suit”
“HONEYBEAR!” Tony yells walking out of the elevator to tackle him into a hug. “I thought you didn't get in til tonight?” Releasing from the hug each of them leaving an arm around the other.
“As I was telling Peter, I was able to leave the base earlier so I flew over in the suit”
“As much as I love reunions’ Pepper interrupts. “Why don 't you go ahead and get yourself settled in sweetheart” she turns to Peter saying. “Take the rest of your bags to your room while I start some lunch. Better get some food into that stomach of yours before somebody over here” She glares at Tony “Wisk’s you away to the lab and forgets to feed you” she finishes smiling at peter
“Okay Pepper!” Peter skips away to his room.
“How come she’s Pepper and I’m still Mr. Stark” Tony pouts to Rhodey
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After lunch Peter can be found on the phone with Ned in the lab talking about their summer plans. “Dude, you have got to convince Mr. Stark to let me see the lab this summer”
“I already said I would talk to him, Ned” Peter responds, tinkering with his web shooters. “I literally just got to the tower this morning”
A big crunch coming from the phone “Yea Yea, I eard oo ude” Ned responds with his mouth full.
“Hey, I hear Mr. Stark coming. I'll talk to you later Ned, enjoy your tacos” He laughs shaking his head at his friend.
Peter slaps his new Nanotec shooters on his wrists that descend back into thin bracelets. The doors to the lab open as Mr. Stark walks through, but that's not what catches Peter's eyes. What does is a tall, dirty-blonde, blue eyed boy with him. He has on a red flannel and white stained t-shirt under it that smells faintly like motor oil. He hears him talking with Mr. Stark.
“Look I don’t know how you convinced my mum to let me spend the summer here, all the way in New York” The cute, no, Mystery, yes, boy says.
“Harley” Stark says, (so that's his name) “It wasn’t really that hard to convince her, I just offered up a little money-”
“You did not bribe her just so you can have me all summer” Harley rolls his eyes.
“Okay, fine, I didn’t bribe her… I made Pepper call her instead”
“That I will accept,” Harley laughs.
As they walked into the room Peter got a better look at this Harley guy. He had light barely visible freckles, a similar smell to Mr. Stark, motor oil and some after shave, though he has either missed a spot or needed to shave again. I wonder what he looked like with more facial hair. No, Peter stop it, he tells his inner thoughts.
“Pete!” Tony yelled from across the Lab. “There’s someone I would like you to meet, he will also be spending the summer”
The tall boy who he learned is named Harley walks over to him holding out his hand.
“Why hello there ‘Darlin’ ” looking him up and down. “I’m Harley Keener” He says with a smirk on his mouth.
“Uhh.. Hi, I.. I’m Peter, Peter Parker” He stutters, raising a hand to meet his in the middle. He blushes as Harley shakes his hand. While shaking hands he noticed how his hands were soft but also rough. Woah Peter, he thinks. What is with these thoughts right now, you just met this tall, handsome, charming southern accent talking guy.
Interrupting his thoughts…
“Great! Now get out of my lab I have a meeting and no unsupervised teens in here until you can be trusted” Tony says, clapping each boy on the back walking, no, pushing them out.
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Sitting awkwardly in the living room of the Stark apartment. “So, where you from?” Peter attempts to make small talk.
“A small boring town in Tennessee"
“....” Peter raises an eyebrow and tilts his head confused.
“Rose Hill” Halrey sits up straighter “What about you darlin, you always been in New York?” Harley quirks his mouth in a teasing way.
“Oh, yeah, Queens is where I'm from” Peter shifts awkwardly “I’m just spending the summer with Mr. Stark while my Aunt is away out of the country for work. She originally wasn’t going to go, but I convinced her that I would be fine home alone, cause this was her dream job. She obviously did not trust me so she asked Mr. Stark if I could stay with him, which clearly he said yes. I mean I already have my own room from spending the night on weekends. Not that I stay over a lot only like once or twice a month”
As Peter keeps talking, Harley notices that the shorter boy rambles when he's nervous. To save him from dying of no oxygen he interrupts. “I met Tony when he broke into my garage after the mandarin attack on his house that blew it up. After I saved him” He says puffing up his chest. “We kept in touch and I’d sometimes come and visit a couple weekends a year”
“Oh, how come I haven’t seen you around then?” Peter questions
“Thats because the little shit didn't “have time” apparently the past year” Tony rolls his eyes interrupting the boy from being able to talk.
“You know why Mechanic” Harley tuts.
“Whatever, Potato Boy. Pepper won’t be home tonight she's flying out to Madrid for business so we're gonna order some pizza and have a boys night” Walking further into the room towards the boys with Rhodey at his side.
The boys and Rhodey spend the evening eating pizza and watching movies on the couch. As it gets later, Rhodey excuses himself to bed and Tony heads off to the lab. The two remaining boys on the couch watching as the end credits of ‘Mission Impossible’ play.
“So.. I think imma head off” “It's kinda late I might go lay down” Both of the teens speak at the same time. They stare at each other then start giggling, walking off to their rooms.
In Harley's room he messages his sister a quick goodnight and is left to his thoughts.
This Peter guy is exactly how Tony described him to be. He huffs a laugh, he’s like a little exited puppy with big brown eyes and brown curly hair. He talks fast when he’s nervous but also doesn’t talk at all. He is definitely something else Harley thinks. He’s kinda adorable or even kind of cute in a way.
No Harley, you just met the kid, you know nothing about him besides that he's really smart and works with Tony in his lab.
As Harley drifts off to sleep ignoring any other thoughts, Peter a couple doors down is having somewhat of an existential crisis. Without the help of his friends…
F.R.I.E.N.D.S
(Failing, Rapidly, In, Every, Normal, Situation)
Scarygirl: So what your saying is, you have a crush on some random guy you just met hours ago
who also knows Stark and is spending the entire summer in the tower with you
Guyinthechair: ^^^ what she said
Peterman: guuuyyyyyssssssss
Peterman: what am I gonna do, I can’t live here all summer, with him…. I think im going to explode
Scarygirl: Just tell him that you like him
Scarygirl: or don’t, I could care less
Guyinthechair: Ignore her Peter just give it a little time see if the guy likes you back
Guyinthechair: then ask him out ;)
Peterman: uuugghhhh I hate it when you two are right.
Peterman: fine. I’ll give it a little bit and see what happens
Peterman:I mean he could be calling everyone ‘Darlin’ when he talks to them not just me right????
Scarygirl went offline
Guyinthechair: Sureee he does dude
Guyinthechair: I with mj i’m heading to bed, talk to you tomorrow dude, try not to explode on me tonight I still need you to help complete the summer AP assignments
Guyinthechair went offline
What am I gonna do Peter thinks before sleep overtakes him…