🕸 mcu/nikke || brother i need a name for this crazy sprawling psl.

[withresponsibility]

[ YOU CAN'T STOP ME FROM REWRITING POOR PETER'S STORY PAST THIS I'M SORRRYYYYY

Peter Parker exhales as he closes the bedroom door.

Tony Stark. THE Tony Stark. Iron Man.

Sitting in his living room--well, now his bedroom--talking about some grant he's never heard about.

His mind is moving at like three hundred miles an hour as he's trying to wrack his memory. He definitely hasn't applied for a grant or scholarship or anything. Did Stark Industries even offer one of those? Sure, Oscorp does, but he can't recall if Stark Industries ever did. At least to someone his age. Maybe more of high school?

Why the hell would Tony Stark even be interested in him?

Unless... no, it couldn't be. No way.

The Tony Stark would have way better things to hack his YouTube account.

Right? Yeah. Definitely.

Deep breath.

Okay. He's taken on some thugs and gang stuff. He's stopped some cars from crashing into busses. Saved some cats from trees. Aced his algebra test (not that it was hard). So, talking to Tony Stark should be way easier. No where near as scary or intimidating.

Minus the whole fact that he's looked up to the hero since he was nine. That was definitely a long time ago for him. Totally. ]

Look, Mr. Stark. [ His New York accent sticks out just a bit as he awkwardly crosses his arms and turns back to look at Tony. ] I'm sorry you came out all the way to Queens? But, I definitely did not apply for your grant. Someone must of did it as a prank under my name or... something.

[ If things were better between Harry and his dad? Peter would of even joked that Harry would of done it. Not that Tony would know who Harry Osborn is or even care. Peter still isn't even sure why the billionaire philanthropist made the personal trip to the Parker's apartment to even ask him about it. He could of sent an e-mail or a letter or a intern or... someone?

How does he break the news to his aunt? She looked so excited that he had been accepted. Honestly? He would of been excited too if it wasn't a lie. He can't even pretend to lie to her about the grant. He lies enough about where his bruises and injuries come from. He can't break her heart by letting her think he actually got a grant. ]

Sorry. [ A little awkward, a little accepting that he's probably pissed off the man he looks up to as a hero. His arms crossed more as he looks away. ] Maybe I can pay for your gas or something.

Comments

[doesntpaint]

[ He doesn’t answer right away, because he's just taking in this whole situation that he more or less barged into. Well, not literally. Maybe a little literally, but only just a little. He knows the way he's acting is bound to raise some eyebrows, but that's just what happens pretty much everywhere he goes. He’s sitting like he owns the whole room, and, of course, he doesn’t, but when has that ever stopped him? When he's not doing that, however, he's mostly just watching Peter, like he's a puzzle box he's trying to open with just his eyes.

And the thing is, he knows he's been staring a little too long. He figures the kid’s going to call him out on it any second now with something awkward and sharp like “Can you stop looking at me like that?” But when the reaction he's waiting for doesn't happen right that second, he finally breaks the silence: ]

Okay, first? That was the most Queens apology I’ve ever heard. “Sorry I made you come to my apartment, billionaire man. Please let me pay you in quarters I found in the couch cushions.” Nice touch with the gas money. Real old school. Love the vintage charm. Kids your age don't really appreciate vintage anything, so that gives you a leg up over them.

Second? No one signed you up. There’s no prank. No weird intern behind a curtain. And, for the record, I didn’t hack your YouTube.

Forget about the gas. I'm more interested in learning how you do it. And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about, or that the footage I saw was faked. I know what fake stuff looks like, and this? The bridge thing? The chemical truck last week? The car that almost pancaked that bus on 23rd?

[ He shakes his head. ] All that was you. Totally you. I'd bet on it. The real question is, are you going to say that was you or not?

[withresponsibility]

[ Peter's face scrunches up slightly. "The most Queens apology?" What, people from Queens have certain apologies? Maybe offering to pay for gas was sort of stupid when Tony Stark is a billionaire (definitely stupid, Peter!) but it was the first thing that came to mind to try and cover for time, resources, money spent coming to some run down apartment that is rented out to a middle-aged woman and her adopted nephew.

Thankfully being bullied so much for being the 'science nerd' makes him used to being stared down. Instead of awkwardly shifting, Peter just stares back at Tony as if he's grown an extra head.

He almost bites back with a comment about how most "kids his age" don't have the life he has. Orphaned, adopted by an aunt and uncle, an uncle that died due to crime violence. Lost a family home, now living in said rundown apartment. The whole super power things comes in second to all of that in a lot of ways. ]

S-sorry, what? What YouTube account? Who has one of those? [ Peter brushes past Tony sitting down in the chair, shooting him a almost too good confused look, and moving towards his desk covered in broken technology parts, notebooks, and an old computer screen. ] Bridge thing, chemical truck? Pancake bus?

[ Oh, shit. Tony Stark really did hack his YouTube account.

As Peter very much forgets all three of those were also on the local news.

He stops in front of the desk and picks up a random thing--it doesn't really matter what it was--and starts to fiddle with it as if he's trying to figure out where to put it. Trying to buy time to think of some good excuse or answer or pretend that he has no idea what Tony is talking about. No one else has figured it out, so, clearly, he can deny it to Iron Man himself. ]

Wait, you mean the videos goin' around about the vigilante? [ Hand raises to the computer to gesture to the internet. ] The one that the news keeps talking about? It's not me, Mr. Stark. I've got ... homework, and helping my aunt with bills, and... you know. Stuff. Really important stuff. Like big stuff.

[doesntpaint]

[ Tony would laugh, the second he sees Peter's face scrunch up. Okay, so maybe that wasn't his best joke ever, and maybe it wasn't a joke at all, but it made him laugh internally and he can totally tell that Peter had a "what the heck was that?" moment as he tried to process it. Honestly, though, as far as he can tell, the kid is genuine; maybe too genuine, even. The offer to pay for gas tells Tony Peter is polite, and that's a good thing, to a degree. But he wonders if maybe he has it in him to not be so polite. ]

Oh, we're going that route, are we? Pretending that this wasn't from you? I mean, I can roll with that. I'm sure you didn't send this into the news stations, because why would you do that, anyway? [ He sizes up Peter again. ] You're still young, still in school... Something like this getting out and being traced to you would mean curtains for your private life, and I'm sure that's the last thing you want to have happen.

[ He's also reasonably sure Peter doesn't need to be told any of this. It doesn't take a genius to tell that Peter has smarts.

He also figures it might be a good time to stop talking and let this all sink in, so he briefly goes quiet, watching Peter fiddle with the thing he picked up from his desk. Probably a fidget spinner or something like that; if anyone looks like the fidgeting type, it'd be this kid.

But then Peter responds, and Tony just shuts up and lets him say his piece, and then he says in return: ]

See, how I see this is that you've already got your cover story. A lot of people don't even have that when they're first starting out. Bodyguard in a suit? That probably doesn't ring any bells for you, with all that really big, really important stuff you have going on.

[ It's not putting down whatever it is that Peter has going on; he figures he's not exactly thrilled, having to balance being a student with being a crime fighting spider-boy. Tony's just trying to determine for himself where Peter's at with all this. ]

[withresponsibility]

No. No--I didn't.

[ He actually didn't. The footage was taken from YouTube where he had uploaded some of it. The rest he figures came from people on the street recording with their phones.

He taps the thing in his hand against the palm of the other one. It's not fidgeting in terms of being a fidget, and more being nervous. Really nervous--extremely nervous. Sure, he had hoped at one point his hero would have seen Spider-Man. Give him a pat on the shoulder, say "Nice work, kid." Actually earn the compliment he got back at Stark Expo. That was back when he first got the superpowers.

When he thought he could do whatever he want to be a hero.

His lips press together in a thin line before he tosses the whatever-it-was onto the desk. A frustrated sigh comes out of him and he turns to look back at Tony. This wasn't how he thought it would ever be if he happened to meet Tony Stark face-to-face as... well, not as Spider-Man. Because, he isn't Spider-Man.

Why the hell is he being judged for doing the right things? ]

You know, Mr. Stark? That isn't me. [ He points to himself then out the window behind him. His accent almost seems to slip out the more worked up he gets. THe more protective and defensive he becomes. ] You're Iron Man. I mean you're--you're an Avenger. You fight aliens and solve problems all around the world! You stop terrorists. If that vigilante was me--which it isn't--why would it even matter? I'd just be some guy that saves cats from trees and helps down on the streets. I'd... just be helping the little guy. So, why would it matter to THE Iron Man if I was?

[ Then, he gestures to the door to his bedroom. ] It just--I wouldn't do something insanely crazy like that. Okay? When she freaks out? It freaks me out. And she's had it hard enough as it is and...

[ Peter lets out a sigh and lowers his shoulders and just stands there. Staring. God. He would of done anything a year ago to have a conversation with Tony Stark. Ask him how he started off being a hero, what made him really become Iron Man versus what he told the public. How he handles being a hero and being a person, because he sure of hell can't figure it out. Now, here he is, denying it all... because it's the right thing to do to protect his aunt. ]

If I was, why would I admit it to Iron Man?

[doesntpaint]

Why would you admit it to Iron Man? A good question, actually. All that stuff you said? Valid. No, really, it is, and that's not some stupid pointless platitude. [ It's not bullshit, is what he means. Because while he might be a lot of things, if he wants to give it to someone straight, he'll do that. And that's usually how you can tell that Tony Stark is being serious.

He slides forward a couple of paces, as if wanting to examine Peter a little closer; not just the physical stuff, but his reactions. Expressions. Tony's not some profiling specialist, but he can still tell some things from just looking. And the funny thing is, people don't actually expect him to look. ]

Look, I get it, I get what you're saying, believe it or not. You want to help the little guy so that your aunt doesn't find out and freak out about OMG what is my nephew-slash-kid doing?! And don't get me wrong, helping the little guy is great, I'm not knocking that.

[ He tilts his head to one side. ]

I just wonder... Is that all you want to do? If it is, great, but- [ He huffs out a laugh. ] The irony of me saying something like this isn't lost on me. [ He knows he never was one for great ambition, especially in his teenage years, so it feels more than a little ironic that he's trying to determine whether or not Peter aspires for more, when he never aspired for more himself. ]

I guess the question here is: what is it that you want to do? [ If Peter says he just wants to keep helping the little guy out and helping keep his aunt from losing it completely, Tony'll just say he gets it and move on. But personally, he's hoping for a slightly different answer. ]

[withresponsibility]

[ What is it that you want to do?

"Be a hero" is the obvious easy answer. It's... just not that easy. You can't pretend at being a hero because you have super powers. It's serious. People get hurt--real people. People directly in your life. Not just people thousands of miles away on the television or the internet. That can't be taken for granted.

What does he want to do?

He wants to make it up to Uncle Ben. He wants to prove it was a mistake and he's better--that he can do better. He will. He wants to prove to the big heroes that protecting people in day-to-day is just as important as saving the city from aliens. He wants to prove that he can do it all. He can be trusted. He's worthy of it all--he understands what his uncle meant now.

Peter crosses his arms over his chest. He looks down, hair flopping against his head for a moment. A sigh as he can't say any of that and he can't put it into words to the man he's admired since he was a kid.

So, instead: ]

I just... I just want to do the right thing, Mr. Stark. [ A hand lifts and gestures to the door, then quieter: ] Even if it means breaking my aunt's heart that there's no grant and that I didn't apply. I can't--I can't lie to her.

[ Not more than he has already. ]

[doesntpaint]

Don't we all? [ Okay, so sure, Tony isn't a shining example of always doing the right thing, but he's had his moments where he knew what the right thing to do was and he went ahead and did it. Peter seems like one of those who has a very solid moral compass and knows which way is right and which way is left. That makes him a good person, as opposed to Tony's sometimes morally gray. ]

So what if I told you that you don't have to lie to her? I have a proposition, and not in the way you're probably thinking.

We'll call it The Friendly Neighborhood Genius Fund. No, how about The Iron Intern Fellowship? Nah, too on those nose. The Please Don’t Sell Your Gadgets for Rent Fund?

[ He's trying and failing not to laugh, but then he sobers up after about a minute. ]

My point is, I'll come up with some sort of grant that sounds believable that I'm offering you because your school sent me a short list of worthy potential recipients, and your name and story stuck out to me. How's that sound?

[withresponsibility]

I don't know. Maybe? Maybe not? [ A shrug of his shoulders. It seems plenty of people end up in it all for themselves.

Another stare like Tony has grown two heads. Peter is trying to follow the steps here. Tony thinks he's Spider-Man (not that he's named it), and wants to offer him an actual real grant? Why? Just because he wants to do the right thing? No, there's gotta be something else going on. He knows he isn't supposed to really question the adults, but, he doesn't really feel like a kid either. ]

Woah, wait--stop okay? [ His hands go out in wild gestures as if trying to keep up with how fast his mind is going. ] Why? I mean, Tony Stark is in my bedroom offering me an actual not-fake-grant just because I'm some kid in Queens who wants to do the right thing?

[ Peter takes the few steps towards Tony but stops short. He's not trying to threaten the older man--as he's pretty sure Tony could flatten him out anyways. ]

If I had been doing this whole ... vigilante thing for a year? No one said anything. You don't even know anything about it. Hypothetically.

[doesntpaint]

Were you a politician in another life? [ He's joking, but that was basically a non-answer, although Tony thinks he knows what he's getting at. Stane was one of those who was only in it for himself, which is why Tony still thinks he would have been a danger if he'd been allowed to keep going. ]

Look, "doing the right thing" is the first step. The foundation, if you will. You've got that, that makes you different from the rest. Different from the crowds of people who don't want to do the right thing.

And it's not just a grant, by the way. [ He pauses when Peter steps closer to him. ] Actually, thinking about it, you probably wouldn't be interested, since it would mean not being here in Queens for some of the time. And that might be a hard sell for your aunt.

[withresponsibility]

What? I don't know, probably not? There's too much... you know, press involved with that. [ Peter pauses as his eyes widen. ] Not that you'd probably get it--I mean--you're always in the press. The news. Magazines.

[ Ah, crap.

Peter feels himself flop on the bed in his room. A hand raises and combs through his hair, showing the bit of what seems to be a watch or a brace underneath the cuff of his hoodie. Not being in Queen for sometimes? Not just a grant? What the hell is going on? He feels like he walked into a landmine field and the only one who even knows where every mine is would be Tony Stark, who is just explaining things as if Peter should know the answers. ]

Just... can we rewind? Like, to the start of all this? [ He drags his hands down his face in a way that seems very much like a teenager and yet someone who is an adult already. ] W-what thing is a grant but more than a grant that I'd have to be gone for? Going to Jersey? Aunt May might worry but, if it's for a job or something, she wouldn't mind too much...

[ Wait, no no, no, no. Stop. He needs the direct answer on what this is before he even goes along with entertaining whatever it is he'd need to travel. ]

Mr. Stark, what are you actually here for?

[doesntpaint]

Geez, kid, it's a joke. You know, haha, that's funny? No, I know what it is; I need to go back to the drawing board and work on my jokes, because that's totally a thing I do in my spare time. If the whole weapons manufacturer thing hadn't panned out, I would've totally gone into the stand-up comedy business.

[ Tony's eyes zero in on Peter's hand, catching sight of something under his hoodie's sleeve. Not much misses his notice on a good day, and whatever that was, he definitely saw it. But that on its own isn't confirmation of anything. He needs more to go off of, more to tell him that he's making the right call here. ]

You want to rewind? Okay, let's rewind. This grant idea is something I just thought up on the fly; I'll give you that one. But that doesn't mean I don't mean it. I 100% do, believe it or not. Logistics might be a thing I'll have to think about, but I'll get it in the end. Also I'm open to suggestions, because this does concern you, after all.

[ Then, he stares Peter down. He wants him to be direct? He wants answers? Fine. He'll give him what he wants. ] Okay, Pete- is it okay if I call you Pete? Cards on the table. I know that webslinging dude in the videos is you. Call it deduction or putting 1+1 together to get 2, but I know it's you. You can do things, things most people wouldn't even think of. And the thing is? From what I can tell, you're not even doing it in armor. That takes guts.

[ He pauses. ] What am I here for? I'm here to give you a leg up, both with your crime-fighting and with your schooling, if you'll take it. Why, you ask?

[ Here, Tony pauses. He never imagined he'd be in the business of trying to help the little guy out. A student, a young adult like Peter; he might call him "kid" but he's no kid, not really. ]

I'll give you one word, and you can laugh about it, but I actually mean it: Legacy. That's what I'm here for.

[withresponsibility]

[ Yeah, no, he can't see Tony as a stand up comedian.

He flops down on the bed and stares Tony down as the conversation goes on. Well, more as the Avenger goes on and he just listens.

Pete? ]

Uh, yeah. Sure--sure. [ Peter has the feeling even if he said no to the shorthand? It'd get used anyways. Tony Stark isn't the kind of guy to really take "no" for an answer. His gaze drops as the explanation goes on, looking at his hand that already has calluses built up. He rubs his palm nervously before glancing up, then to the side, then back down at his hands.

He'll need to figure out how Tony figured it out. There's no real point in hiding it now. ]

"Legacy." [ He repeats the word, not out of disbelief or even mocking. Just... heavy. His lips press together as he continues just tracing his palm. A glance is set to the door as if he expects his aunt to be on the other side listening. ] You know what's funny about that? It's not just helping "the little guy" while the Avengers are out there doing the big things.

[ Peter shakes his head at himself. He's sure Iron Man will shrug it off or even laugh it off. Who would care, right? ]

My uncle--before he died--told me that people like us, me? That "with great power comes with great responsibility." I didn't really get it until after... [ His lips press together and he leans back slightly with a low sigh. ] It's like a duty? Some sort of obligation? Something like that. Why else can I do what I can do if I wasn't supposed to help someone out with it? Even if it's just getting a kid his balloon he got stuck in a tree.

[ Finally, Peter looks back up at Tony. ] I'm not sure if that counts as apart of this "legacy" thing you mean, Mr. Stark. It's all I've got to explain why I... you know. The bridge, and that chemical spill, and the car that was going to hit that bus. I can't just stand there and let it all happen. Not sure if that still makes me some sort of qualifying candidate or whatever.

[doesntpaint]

[ The thing is, this isn't some gotcha. It's not some test that Peter can pass or fail. Sure, Tony's listening carefully to what Peter says, and he's watching him carefully too, because actions are just as important as words, believe it or not. ]

You see that right there? That's your origins, your foundation. Everyone's got one, whether they realize it or not. Your uncle helped you build your foundation, and as far as I can tell, you kept building on it. You're still building on it. [ Peter's young and he has his whole life ahead of him. ]

And between you and me, you've got a leg up already. You're way ahead of me when I was your age. It's a duty and an obligation, but it's something you want to do, because of your uncle but also because it's in you. [ Tony shrugs and leans back slightly. ] Now, I could be totally wrong. I could've totally misread you, but something tells me I haven't.

[ Then Tony looks around the room, thinking to himself for a few seconds. ] So here's the deal: you probably can't just up and relocate, and you shouldn't.

If you're serious about looking out for the little guy, I'm willing to help with that. [ And maybe at some point along the way, Tony'll figure out why he's being Mr. Benevolent. He hasn't quite worked that out yet. ]

[withresponsibility]

[ Eyebrows raise slightly. He figured it wasn't the sort of answer that Tony Stark would be looking for. He's flashy, and loud, and naturally charismatic. Peter really isn't any of those things, which is why no one suspects he's Spider-Man. He's still not sure how Tony even figured it out.

He definitely hacked the YouTube account.

My uncle died because of me. I have to make up for it... even if nothing ever will. He almost gives the thought voice, but, stops at the last moment.

No one should know that.

Peter presses his lips together and leans back. He looks at the door for a long moment before turning his attention back to Tony. A serious look takes his face. He won't bring all of his reasons or drama to the table. Personal reasons are just that--personal. Family stuff. ]

I just... [ Can you even barter with Tony Stark? ] I need to know if this will go somewhere serious. Helping me with the little guy? Okay. But, I need to know if this can help me get somewhere that's going to help me support Aunt May. You know, she and my uncle took me in as a kid. They've given me everything and... I need to do something to help her too.

[ One day he might say it.

Peter stands and walks over to Tony. He reaches up to grab the string that hangs from the ceiling. ]

If that's on the table? Then, okay. Sure. I'm on board... and so is he.

[ A tug of the rope and the ceiling door opens. A bright blue and red homemade suit falls down into Peter's extended arm as if it's been practiced. It's obviously made of sports clothes and a hoodie, but the mask has goggles attached made out of some sort of custom plastic covering. The spider logo is also obviously hand done, pressed down by a sort of handmade printing device. ]

[doesntpaint]

[ That's the thing, though. Tony's looking for someone who's not just a carbon copy of him. He knows well enough that people would say one Tony Stark is enough, and others would say that one of him is too much. No, what he's looking for is someone who won't be just like him, who can be brave when it's needed and who can be genuine and not so much of an asshole.

Come on, kid, you know you want to take me up on this. And I need someone who's not like me, who can be better than me when it really counts.

Tony would deny he ever said or thought anything like that, but it doesn't change the fact that he means every word. Believe it or not, he's banking on Peter accepting as much as Peter seems to be banking on the offer to help him meet his goals of supporting his aunt. ]

Will this go somewhere serious? Yeah, it will, if I have anything to say about it. [ He figured Peter had his terms and conditions, and now that he's hearing them, it doesn't change Tony's mind one bit. ]

How this is gonna go is, you take the deal, giving you the leg up that you need, and once you've gotten yourself where you want to be, you'll be in exactly the right position to do the whole giving back thing. [ Tony nods, because he's certain that's exactly how this whole plan will work out, barring any unforeseen snags. But obviously, mentioning snags would undermine the entire thing, so he doesn't. ]

"He"? [ Having an idea of what Peter's about to do, Tony still looks surprised and interested. He watches as Peter grabs the rope hanging from the ceiling, gives a tug, and oh, would you look at that? ]

So, that's it, huh? Your suit? [ Tony gives it a careful once-over, and then he nods approvingly. Obviously there's room for improvement, but honestly, Tony likes what he's seeing. ]

Not bad, kid. That's pretty good, and if it does the job, which it looks like it does... Even better.

[ Tony could point out how exactly it needs to be improved, but he also figures that Peter doesn't get too many wins, so he's just going to give him this one. There'll be plenty of time for friendly ribbing later on. ]

[withresponsibility]

[ Peter figures this isn't as clear cut as it sounds. There has to be some sort of catch. Some sort of "you owe me." Something he will have to cash in down the line. He really doesn't want it to be the case, but, he feels as it could be some consequence down the line. ]

Okay. Good. Awesome. So--so what? Do I sign paperwork or...

[ He has no idea how this works.

The arm lowers and he holds the suit over the other. Then, awkwardly holds it out for inspection. There is a weird butterfly sensation? Nerves about his hero--Iron Man--seeing his work. It's definitely a home kit job. As in like a garage kit. Not in a cave with a box of scraps but a sewing machine, iron, and bits of everything that would be found in an old garage. ]

Yeah, my suit. It's not super... fancy or outfitted with tech. But, it hides my face and helps with everything else with my senses.

[ He holds it out for Tony to take and look it over. A small bottle falls out of a pocket. Before the older hero can even take it, Peter leans forward and snatches it out of the air. He flicks it between his fingers and holds it up between his thumb and index finger. ]

And, then, there's this. [ A shake of the bottle to show the substance doesn't shake or move inside it. ] It's not what most people see.

[ A little prideful? Yeah. He made this from scratch. His own formula and everything. ]

[doesntpaint]

[ In hindsight, maybe Tony should've come prepared with paperwork to sign so that it all looks official, but, well, there's a reason he needed an assistant to get things done sometimes. Still, since this was entirely his idea, that means some of the little but important things sort of got left behind. He shrugs as if it doesn't really mean anything. ]

Paperwork? Nah. I mean, I'll probably draft up something later, but- [ He shakes his head; he's not corny enough to say something like "your word is good enough" but that's basically what he means by not having paperwork ready to go. That's believable, right? Maybe it's 50% he didn't think about it and 50% having no need for paperwork. ]

No, you see what this suit tells me is that you actually thought about what you needed, about what you needed it to do for you. [ Never mind that it looks like a onesie. But at least it doesn't have the whole Superman-underwear-on-the-outside look. ]

It's not bad for your first suit, kid. [ But then he looks at the bottle that Peter's holding and he peers at it trying to get a closer look. ] So, that's the stuff, huh? Your spider webs? Where'd you make it? Chem lab?

[withresponsibility]

Right, later. Sure. [ Peter nods awkwardly and goes along with it. He just knows Aunt May will want to see something official. Hell, she will need to sign since he's still a minor. ] It's just, you know, my aunt is going to need to approve of it and that sort of stuff.

[ Because, he knows his Aunt May isn't the biggest fan of Tony Stark. So, anything to make it more legitimate is the best. ]

Well...y-yeah. Obviously. Why wouldn't I? [ Peter gives him a look as if it would of been the most obvious thing in the world to do. ] Thanks. Really.

[ It means a lot.

Not that it's hard to tell that Tony's attention had swung (ha) to the webbing in the tube. He nods but makes a slight face at the naming but sort of goes along with it. ] Yeah, it's uh, made of salicylic acid, toulene, methanol, carbon tetrachloride, potassium carbonate, and ethyl acetate. Nothing really worked in a pure form, so I sort of had to make up something of my own.

[ He pauses awkwardly. ] First it was at the basement of our old house, then... yeah. Chemistry lab at school. Don't tell them. I'd get detention and then Aunt May is going to find out and...

[doesntpaint]

[ Well, "later" might be more like sooner, because while Tony's the kind of guy who sometimes comes up with ideas on the fly, he knows that the rest of the world doesn't work that way. He also figures that Peter's aunt won't be satisfied with an answer along the lines of "oh, the paperwork's not done yet, but almost". And knowing him, he probably wouldn't like that answer very much either. ]

Yeah, of course, legal guardian and all. Don't worry, kid, I'll have everything in order. [ Eventually. Tony might not always be the best when it comes to checking off boxes, but he does know when something is important and when it's something that he really wants. And he really wants to work with Peter. ]

Why wouldn't you? Oh, I don't know. Maybe you didn't really know what your priorities were. Maybe you just thought about making a cool suit to zip around in. [ Tony was a teenager once; some would argue that he still behaves like one. But the point is, he knows that sometimes teenagers Peter's age don't always think about the big picture. That's why he thinks Peter is different from his peers; that's why he thinks Peter is smart and deserves something special. That's why he thinks that Peter is worth investing in, even though he really doesn't know him well yet. ]

Sheesh. [ Tony whistles through his teeth as Peter lists all the components of his webbing. ] Let me guess, if you weren't moonlighting as Spiderman, you'd be studying something to do with chemistry. Or, if not that, then definitely something science related. Engineering, maybe?

[ He's rambling, but the point to all of this is that he thinks Peter's smart: smarter than the average teen. ]

Why would I even think about ratting you out? Your secret's 100% safe with me. [ And then he tips a wink at Peter. ] Don't worry so much. No one's gonna find out, not if I have anything to say about it.

[ And yeah, before Peter asks, Tony knows there's a recklessness there that an adult shouldn't have, but, well, he's not exactly the pinnacle of good behavior. Besides, he knows how important it is to have some things that are meant to be kept under wraps. ]

[withresponsibility]

[ Peter gives a scrutinizing look before nodding. Given this whole thing seems spur of the moment, is it really going to be sooner? Not that he's going to question that outloud. Probably best to not ask the questions like that to the billionaire who has just offered him a super hero internship. More or less.

He glances to the side then and frowns. Probably best not to tell him that there was a time when he didn't have the priorities straight. That he was a bit of a dick with a chip in his shoulder that thought he knew it all cause he suddenly had super powers. He really wasn't all that different from a regular teenager at the start. ]

Oh, yeah. Definitely. [ An easy going answer, then he quickly moves to the next statement. ] I mean, I'm still studying chemistry, computers--[ he points with the bottle to the broken down pc in the corner, ]--and yeah. Some engineering.

[ He flicks the bottle over at Tony so he can look at the web inside. It doesn't move when shaken. A lot seems to be stored in such a small bottle. ]

Because... [ a wild gesture to the fact he is technically using school materials without permission and illegally. ] You figured it it out.

[ Overlooking the whole genius billionaire aspect. ]

S-so what's next? Just sort of waiting until you need me around or ... frequent visits to Avengers Tower or somewhere else? Ugh, are you going to need weekly reports on my grades?

[doesntpaint]

[ What's actually going to happen is Tony's going to have to sit down with people smarter than him in the world of legalese and come up with a document that checks off all the boxes. That probably means a meeting with Pepper and a lawyer and whoever else is involved in these kinds of things. Truthfully, it all sounds boring, but Tony's jumped in and he can't exactly back out now. Not that he wants to. Getting Peter on board and getting him properly geared up is more important than whatever Tony thinks about boring meetings with boring lawyers.

For now, though, he'd rather talk more with Peter than think about the boring meetings he's just set up for himself. ]

Yeah, I figured it out, but is the average Joe walking around the street going to know what this is, how you made it, and what you use it for? Probable but not likely. [ He could probably come up with a number to back that up, but it'd just be made up information. Not that he plans on telling Peter that. He's not much of a statistics kind of guy, but to him, that sounds pretty unlikely. Still, stranger things have happened. ]

Well, you see, I must have misplaced my crystal ball that tells me when we'll be attacked and where, so for now, yeah. It's just waiting. Though if you wanted a tour of the Avengers Tower, that's something I can set up.

[ And then Tony makes a face and adds: ] Pfft, I'm not going to ask about your grades. Besides, you seem like the type of kid who never gets anything below a B, if that.

[withresponsibility]

[ Peter figures that none of it can actually be signed by him. His aunt will have to clear everything. Agree to everything. He just hopes she can see that he's not just taking a-now-apparently-real internship for him. It's for her. Something to help promise a job--maybe even a summer job--and get more money into the home. Something to help cover medical expenses. Something to ease life just a little since everything went to hell that night his uncle died.

It won't bring back Uncle Ben. Nothing can. Ifanything? Maybe it'll help fill the hole left by the man who ran their family. He's trying to take up that mantle--but being fifteen really limits everything.

Peter sits back down on the bed and hides his suit under the pillow. Just in case his aunt comes in.

Then, he looks back at his hands in thought. ]

How did you figure it out?

[ He looks back up at Tony. Waiting. So, not much different than what he does now. That's going to be nail biting, but maybe whatever else comes with the internship will help tide him over.

His eyes widen at the proposition of going to the Avengers Tower. That excitement teenagers get taken by is immediately evident on his face before he tries to simmer it down to be cool. Respectable. ]

A tour would be great. Awesome. [ He almost asks "when", but manages to bite it back. ] When you can, uhm, set it up and stuff. Not that I'm in a rush.

[ Definitely not a "rush", but he'd jump to go now and see it all. ]

Okay, good. [ He doesn't really want to have to deal with giving his grades to his aunt and Iron Man. ]

[doesntpaint]

[ It would be a lot easier if Peter could sign his own forms, but unfortunately, that's not a possibility. Either way, if they want this to look legitimate, the forms need to be accurate and they need Peter's legal guardian to sign them.

For just a second, Tony asks himself what he's doing this for. Is it just him trying to live up to the philanthropist part of his self-proclaimed title? Perhaps. Or maybe there's just something about Peter that reminds him of himself when he was that age. Maybe if he had someone who stuck his neck out for him and went the extra mile to give him a leg up, things might have been a little different. Yeah, that's probably it. ]

How did I figure it out? [ He grins a cocky sort of grin. ] Magic. No, actually, it was pretty easy. [ For him, anyway. ] I saw those videos of you on the internet, plugged them into my own systems for analyzing, and, well, a list of names generated. You know, possible candidates. Identities. [ It's probably all a little bit illegal. ] It took a little narrowing down, and figuring out which ones weren't being exactly honest.

[ That reaction from Peter tickles Tony a little bit. He remembers when he got excited about things like that. ] Well, that depends on your schedule. I'm guessing it wouldn't be a great idea to swoop you off for a tour right in the middle of your school semester. That might not earn me any favors with your aunt.

[ If not for that, Tony would in fact take him to see the tower right now. ]

Got any other questions for me?

[withresponsibility]

[ Magic. ] Right, that same magic crystal ball that's broken and can't tell when bad guys are going to attack?

[ ... He is still only fifteen.

Peter's eyebrows raise slightly. Systems? He guesses that makes sense. How else do the Avengers operate? Facial recongition? Database with that much access... does Tony tap into the Department of Homeland Security? Google? Apple? Can he even legally do that? He and to have one hell of a complicated system of he can just tap in whenever he wants. Holy shit. Wow.

It's cool--except for that breach of security that makes him feel a bit exposed and invasion of privacy. ]

Well, I mean--[ He has to play this cool and really show he isn't some excited teenager. ]--I sort of need to know about the Tower, right? Stark Industries is based in California... so it's the closest facility you'd have. Going would probably make it more solid. Probably.

And, tomorrow is Saturday.

[ Oh, yeah. Nailed it.

Any other questions for Tony Stark? Iron Man. God. There's a million. He could write a list like he was writing to Santa. Except, now, only one question really sticks out in his mind. ]

Does... it get any easier? I mean, this. The hero thing.

[doesntpaint]

Exactly. Crystal ball, should see the future or at least warn me when some kind of threat or attack is imminent. [ He shakes his head at himself. ] Shame on me, though, I let the bad guys get too close and, well- it doesn't work so well anymore. [ He shrugs his shoulders like "that sucks but what can you do?" ]

Yeah, you "sort of" need to know about the Tower. Hell, I won't even mind if you go around the place and take pictures so you can show your aunt and give her a sort of tour too. [ And he's not going to be talking about how he got the information that led to him figuring out Peter's other identity. It's not illegal, exactly, but it could potentially get him into some kind of trouble if Homeland Security found out. Still, he doesn't use it all the time, only when time is of the essence and he needs to get information quickly. ]

Saturday? Oh, yeah, you're right. Well, even better. I won't be pulling you away from your studies and actually, you'll be furthering your studies. Kind of. You don't think your aunt will mind, do you? [ He's not afraid of meeting her and explaining; in fact, it might be better if he does give the explanation in person since most legal guardians don't take well to having their charges swooped off on field trips without their knowledge.

Still, when has Tony Stark ever played by the rules? ]

Does it get easier? [ He repeats the question and makes a hmmm sound. ] Honestly? Yes, but also no. You're gonna have people watching you constantly. There's going to be people watching to see if you're going to mess up, just like there's going to be people watching to see you save the day. There'll be news articles about you and people talking about you on TV.

[ He stares Peter down for a second or two. ] And people are going to wonder who's behind the mask. [ Because of course people know that Tony is Iron Man, but what if Peter doesn't want people knowing who he is? ]