Archive of Our Own ^beta

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.

Chapter Text

"Good morning! You must be midtown's class, it's so nice to meet you all." The professor had to interviene to calm the class, as if being in Stark Industries wasn't enough, they had her as their tour guide.

Peter resisted the urge run out of there, maybe stick to a corner and dissappear. Instead, he signed and rub his face, damn Parker luck.

"If you could please come forward when I call your name. This tags are very very important, you lose it, you're out of here the next second. Clear?"

He could see Betty raise her hand shyly. "Excuse me, miss, but aren't you… Kate Bishop? As in… Hawkeye?"

Unfortunately for him, she was right. Kate Bishop was their tour guide, as in born in a Olympic pool full of cash and the future of the avengers. Also known to him as the most stubborn person to ever exist, and he knew a lot of stubborn people. Don't get him wrong, Peter adored Kate, they hitted it off immediately, Natasha always sais they're attached by the hip, they play video games together, do marathon of movies that went on for the whole weekend only eatin pizza and icecream, they gave headaches to Clint and Tony sneaking to do exacly what they told them not to do.

To sum up, Kate was his favourite superhero to team up with. Also, a great person to blaim when something went wrong, she was in as many messes as him.

"That I am! Isn't that fun? Honestly, I made my friend give me this tour yesterday, I'm never in those areas. But I can been very conviencing, so Tony let me do it." When she sais convincing, Peter knows she means annoying. Chances are Kate followed Tony around for a week or two until he said yes. "Well, if that's all, let's start, I'll answer any questions later."

One by one, students started to come forward. One by one, the pression in Peter's lung grow with anxiety, he never took the front entry, he didn't known what to expect, he didn't even had a badge, would it be given to him?

Turns out, he wasn't. Mr. Harrington seemed busy talking to Emily, Peter heard him murmur something about having a kid guiding kids around. Flash, of course Flash, after a poor attempt of flirting with Kate he redirect his energy to Peter again. "Hey! Miss Bishop! Not all of us have badge!" He said with faux concern in his voice. And then, lower so only he could hear. "See, they discovered the truth about your lies and they're kicking you out."

"Everyone who needs one, has one. Now, let's go, I'll go first so you can see how it's done, then you'll need to wait for everyone there."

She stepped forward, badge that Peter had never seen before in hand. "Katherine Bishop. Level red. Welcome back, birdie." She frowned, looking at the ceiling. "We've been through this, Friday, it's Kate."

Peter saw the confuse expressions turn to amaze of his classmates when Kate explained that the whole building was control by Tony's IA. He was already used to it, but for almost all of them, it was a shock.

"Jason Ionello. Level white. Welcome, Jason."

"Betty Brant. Level white. Welcome, Betty."

"Eugene Thompson. Level white. Welcome, Eugene."

"Hey! It's Flash." He replied, angry. "Why isn't she answering?"

Kate explained to him the same way she would to a toddler, that Friday was programmed to only answer to level red or above. Flash seemed upset but didn't push the issue any further. A win is a win, he thought.

"Ned Lees. Level red. Welcome back, Ted." He smiled, like a kid with a candy.

MJ went next, although she didn't had a funny nickname, Peter suspected they were too scare of her. He tried not to think too hard about this, his classmates were already whispering about MJ and Ned, about why would two kids have the same level as an Avenger.

"Peter Parker. Level gold. Welcome back, Pete." He smiled, well, that wasn't that bad. Staying late to reprogrammed Friday to eliminate any embarrassing nickname was worth it.

The whole class erupted with questions and complains that Mr. Harrington shot quickly. He didn't trust Peter either, but at least was smart enough to keep silence. The only question that managed to get through was about the color system.

"Well, that's a good question that I don't know the answer to. Friday? Would you mind?"

"Sure thing, Kate. The Stark Industries' badges had been separated by colors. The lowest being tour groups with the color white, they only have access to bathrooms and cantines, for any further access they would need a color blue or higher. Then is black, it's for press, very similar to white with the addition of access to the room specifie to the conferance."

"The next colors are for workers and similars. Yellow is for lower interns. They aren't allow to wander around without supervision, they can only access their work floor and a specific lab or room. Blue is for both currents workers and high level interns, this interns are requiere to be graduated for their collage. Purple is for security and green for janitors, they have access to almost any area. Finally, red for the Avengers or close family to them."

"What about gold?"

"Gold is special, only five people in the world have access to it. Two of them being Tony Stark himself and the CEO Pepper Potts. It allows access to boss' personal floor, where he lives."

Before the chaos could start again, Kate lead them to the lifts which were big and strong enough to carry the Hulk beside the whole team, it could manage a high school class. They went up to the forty-six floor, interns labs. They were led throw different corridors until one of the lab, Peter remember this lab, it was his favorite one.

"Okay! Please, do not touch anything, it could blow up. We do not want things blowing up."

"You heard, Penis? Stay away." Flash came behind him, shoving his shoulder in the way.

The lab was curios, to say the less. There was two guys arguing loudly, one with a flask in the hand and another with two test tubes. It was getting heated, so Peter acted on instinct, thankfully he stopped himself before using the web shooters, that would had been hard to explain.

He sneaked between the group to get to them. In one hand he took the flask and in the other he balanced the tubes with his fingers, standing in the middle. "Honestly, I don't feel like exploding today."

"Oh! Peter? I'm so sorry." "It wasn't going to… I think." Peter sighed, this was his day to day in the tower.

"Mr. Parker! Come here right now!" He rolled his eyes. Every word was just another rock over his shoulder, back pain was going to hit hard. With the head down, he made his way back to the group. Flash tried to tripped him up, only failed because of the high reflexes, when that didn't work, he just hit the back of his head. Still, it was enough to get lift a few laughs.

Peter settle himself at the back, close to the wall. He tried to ignore the tickling sensation crawling over his neck, the way the air felt heavier.

"Guys, we don't encourage aggressive behavior here, don't make me call the bodyguard."

It was suppose to be a relaxing statement, it had the contrary effect on him. The last thing he needed is have security eyes over him, they would contact Tony immediately over nothing and then it would all be over. Why wouldn't his lungs fill? He was breathing. Why was people screaming? Everything was so loud.

They went table by table, hearing the presentations of every project. He was so focus on taking a step in front of a step that he missed someone calling him. MJ had to tap his arm to get his attention. Anne, one of the interns, wanted his input but he dismissed it swiftly explaining he was with the school and promising to pop up the next day.

He pulled up his hood, hoping no one else would recognize it, only for it to be pull down by Flash. "What's the matter, Parker? Too embarrassed they already caught you? You wish you were smart enough to even be a janitor here."

"Parker, be respectful." He didn't even bother to fight the professor, he already had to deal with Flash comments. That won him a weird look from Kate, she squinted her eyes, it was the face she made when they were sparring. As discreet as she could, which wasn't much, she took out her phone to send a quick text. Peter could already feel his troth closing.

"Right! Next stop is the Avengers museum! I know you're excited for this, I personally recommend the Hawkeye stand, nice to remember the old man."

They made it back to the elevator. He got caught in the corner next to Flash, opportunity the boy took to leave small hits in his arm and the side. "Keep it quiet, Penis." He whisper in his ear. Peter could feel his arm bruise under the hoodie.

He focus on the fact that he was Spider-man, he had survive worse. One day, Flash would get tired of picking on him. In the meantime, better his than another kid who couldn't put up with it. Better him than anyone else.

Chapter Text

It was not going well, to say less. An unplesant feeling keep rising with every gaze Kate send his way while trying to entratein the group. It was starting to really bother him, someone would notice soon.

The Avenger's museum was huge, he would give it that. The truth is, for all the hover around he had done, specially with Kate, they never made it there. In the tower there are way more interesting places. Besides, he had met all of the avengers personally. So he wasn't really curious about it, but Ned was.

Peter was sure the museum didn't even mention their love for Tony's expensive billar table, they had had to replace the sticks twice this week. They got really intense. Nor the amount of broken boards for late night games.

"Oh, dude! Let's go!" He let himself be dragged, staying at the door was like carrying a big neon sing asking Flash to go bother him. He knew better than that.

They passed the Black Widow exposition, full with old suites, cool photos he had no idea when they had been took and different weapons. What it didn't show was the latest prototypes sitting in his desk, they were coming along pretty nicely.

Tony had tried to make a list of curiosities in every stand, he wasn't too suscefull. Kate, Peter, Rohdey, they were all for it. Spies? Super soldiers? Defently no. Not even Dr. Banner was on board, although Thor seemed ready to write the longest biography ever made.

Peter liked Spider-man's stand. He would admit it was kind of weird to see it, known he was Spider-man. His first suit, still cover in dust from being trapped under a bulding —just thinking about it gave him a chill, not a cool moment.— And a colection of different mask he had wore. There also was an interactive hologram made by Harley to analyes the webshooters, inclompleate of course, that no one could recreate.

"Dude! Look! It says here Spider-man has a guy in the chair! That's me!"

"Ned, dude, calm down, would you?"

"Hey! This is wrong! Spider-man is not the funniest! He's the most annoying." Kate appeard at his side, arms cross and smirk. He did mostly not jump in surprise, upsides down of having a sense that only alerts you of threats.

"I think that title belongs to you, Bishop. You basically annoyed Clint into making you an Avenger."

"I did not! Please, you never shut up. You have a broken arm and five guys going at you and still talking about how cool you think Bucky's arm is."

In life there are good moments, bad moments. People you like, people you don't like.

And then there's Flash.

"Is Parker here bothering you, gorgeous?" He came and throw an arm over Kate. Smiling as if he was her knight in shiny armor. "Get lost. Honestly, Spider-man is very cool, but the new Hawkeye is better."

For a moment, the second it took her to react, Peter saw the uncomfort in her face, how her shoulders came forward and her arms tight in her chest. He didn't care that Flash took it on him all the time, he cared that now she was involve too as if Ned wasn't enough already.

"I'll take the compliment. I agree in the hero stuff. Nothing else, bye." You know that face you make when you eat accidentally expire food? That was Kate's face taking Flash's arm away.

Unfortunally, he wasn't known for taking very direct indirects.

"Oh, c'mon, pretty—"

Peter was alert this time. He moved faster, came between them and grabbed his wrist before it touched her. "Finish the sentance." He wasn't one for confrontation, except when people crossed a limit. Flash had crossed a very clear limit.

Their eyes were locked. Flash's were wide open in surprise. Peter's squint, just like when he was figthing. He knew he was putting too much preassure in Flash's wrist, it would at least be red but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Parker! This is your last warning!"

It was frustrating, Flash parents were rich, Peter wasn't. Peter never saw Mr. Harrington giving Flash detention while he just got two days. He didn't try to defense himself, just rolled his eyes walking away.

Kate interviene, promesing to call her bodyguard to supervise the group just in case. Great, exacly what he wanted. In his opinion, the only one here that needed supervision was Flash.

The last thing he wished was to draw attention, his classmates would gossip about it for weeks. He could already picture himself walking from one class to another hearing comments in the hallway.

On the other hand, he got that same tingle that came to him right before a fight, every night in his suit looking for criminals. He felt it climbing up his hands and his arms, a need to move.

He keep walking. Head down, hood on; he wore this specific hoodie because it was the softest to touch, also, the hood covered his head in a way no other could. As the nerd he was, he recite the periodic table in his head over and over again, it helped him focus on one thing.

There were fifty five steps from Iron man's stand to Captain America's stand. In between, he passed Hawkeye filled with trick arrows' ends, Hulk, the Maximoff's brothers —yes, Pietro was there, Peter had the feeling they would had been great friends —and Vision. He looked at them, he read the funny facts, he pretended to pay attention.

He was in automatic mode, it wasn't Peter who was putting one feet in front of another. He smiled to MJ, laughed with Ned, even tho his mind was far away from that field trip.

They were talking, he knew they were talking. He didn't caught up one single word, except.

"Hey, darlin'" An arm brushed his.

In a blur, he snatched his wrist and jammed it up behind his back at an unnatural angle. He winced in pain, arm still pinned between their shoulder blades.

Harley twisted his head, smirking at Peter acting as nothing was going on. He let go inmediatly with an apology.

"Hey, it's alright. What's going on?" He dragged the 'what' like he always did. Harley picked his hood to take it off, pressing his hand in Peter's neck.

It was warm at touch, when was it not? It was the same feeling when he got home after a rough night to a warm blanket and bad films. Harley played with the too longs curls on his neck, Peter would lean in his touch.

"I'm sorry. It's just- It's been a long day."

"It's nine in the morning." He laughed.

"Yeah I know." Peter sighed, rubbing the tiredness from his face. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh! I'm Kate's body guard."

"You're kidding."

"I'm takin' it as an insult. I can't believe a guy that walks around in spandex is insulting me." Things like this, Harley pushing away in the most dramatic possible way, made Peter wonder if it was possible he was Tony's biological son. He should try to run some test. "For the record, I could take anyone in this room. Anyone!"

"Sure you could, H." He patted his arm, the same way he patted Morgan's head.

For a second, all the stress lifted from his shoulder, all he could see was blue as the sky eyes, sparkling more than the stars. A comfort smile that he knew to well, the one he got to see when the nightmares wouldn't leave him alone. The smell of oil from working in the lab and garage impragnate in his clothes like a second skin with the touch of cedar wood that he loved.

"I totally could!"

"Yes, yes, you could, yes."

"You don't believe me." He squinted his eyes, pouting like a little kid. A blond strand fell over his forehead, Peter pushed it back behind the ear instatly.

"I do! I totally do."

They always joked around, used to the safetest of the tower, the trust relationship with the Avengers. Harley hitted him in the chest with enough strenght to move a piece of paper, Peter grabbed him by the waist to keep him close.

The second Harley was close enough to feel his breath mixing, Peter letted go. He took a step back as if it burned.

The worst thing was seeing the hurt swing Harley's eyes. It changed to understandment pretty quickly but it had been there, deep down, it was still there.

Peter knew that Harley, coming from a small town in the middle of nowhere, had been through more that anyone should ever been for being who he was. There was a reason he wasn't living in his house nomore.

A part of him wanted to fix it, go back to his arm. A bigger part felt invisbible looks over him. It heard nonexistent gossip in school. It felt the pushes and insults.

Because New York defended inclusivity, it set itself high, on top of all. It was New York! How could New York not be the best?

New Yorkers didn't care for any of it. Kids were cruel, adults looked away.

So Peter stayed where he was. A wall growing between them. He knew he was sleeping alone that night.

"You should really stay close to Kate. There's a guy after her." He turned around, looking for Ned or MJ.

Harley did what Peter told him to do. He avoided his boyfriend compleatly, stayed by Kate's all the time.

Settle himself behind her, arms crossed with his best intimidating look. Followed from the museum to some low level labs. She gave basic instruction and made polite conversation with the professor while the students looked around.

Peter tryed to lay low. Hided between his only two friends.

He talked to some of the guys working there, hoping it looked like he was the only asking the question instead of giving solutions. He even got Helena to come to his own lab later that day because the problem needed hours of work together.

Flash's attention was divided, which he was gratefull for. On one hand, he was as close as he could to Kate, ready for when the body guard took a break. On the other, he was talking to his friends while keeping track of Peter. The moment back in the museum had scared him enough to stay away.

Harley didn't even tried to make conversation with Kate. They weren't as close as any of them were with Peter but they did expend time together now and then. Usually, Harley was the one to fix Kate's bow, he tried to help with new trick arrow's ideas too. He wasn't too much for conversation today, not after what happened with Peter.