Chapter Text
Peter stares up at the tall expanse of Stark Tower, feeling like he’s going to throw up. He doesn’t know what he’s thinking, applying for this job. It had been a spur-of-the-moment bad idea, brought on by the promises of better pay, healthcare, and free housing. So what if the details were a little vague? He had a ten-year-old to take care of.
He’d almost fainted when he got the interview.
“You got this, Parker,” he mutters to himself before dropping his gaze and walking into the lobby with his head held high. He walks right up to the receptionist's desk as instructed and puts on his best smile. “Hi, I’m Peter Parker. I have an interview at three?”
“Oh, yes, one moment!” she nods, tapping away at her computer. She has a little printer at her desk, and it spits out a little sticker with his name on it, which she applies to a badge on a lanyard. “If you’ll put that on, it’ll give you access in the elevator. You’re on floor sixteen, take the first left down to room ten.”
“Thank you,” he says, putting on the badge. “Um, does it say who I’m meeting with? The email was kind of vague.”
“Uhh… no, it just says hiring agent, I’m sorry,” she says apologetically. Then she leans in and drops her voice. “If it makes you feel better, there were only two other appointments for this one. So good luck!”
“Oh, wow, yeah, thank you,” he says softly with a nod. He was one of three? Holy shit.
He fights back another wave of nausea and heads towards the elevators. Once inside, he presses the button for the right floor and waits anxiously. It’s a quick ride, and by the time he’s reached the sixteenth floor, he’s psyched himself back into being confident.
First left, all the way down to room ten. The door is shut, so he’s assuming it’s someone’s office. He takes a deep breath and then knocks.
“Come in!” a man’s voice says.
Peter opens the door and puts on a pleasant face again. Whoever is interviewing him is sitting in the office chair, turned around, and he’s slightly worried that he’s in the wrong room. “Hi, um, I’m Peter Parker? Here for the interview about the lab tech position?”
The chair spins around, and his heart falls out of his ass as Tony Stark smiles widely at him. “Yes, Mr. Parker, you’re my three o’clock. Come on in. I’m sure it’s a shock; feel free to take a moment to process.”
— Eleven years earlier —
“Get in your shock now, people, because there won’t be time for it later!” The room erupts with laughter as Tony paces back and forth in front of the classroom. “I’m sure when you signed up for a summer course on green energy, you weren’t expecting me, but I had to be careful. You’re the best and the brightest that the MIT engineering programs have to offer. I’ve hand-selected all of you, and I assure you, this room is the one room where you’ll never meet Tony Stark, the billionaire, playboy, genius. Just Tony, the engineer.”
Penny listens in rapture, feeling like she’s been given a gift from her parents in heaven. Tony Stark. She gets to take a class from Tony Stark! Totally free too. So worth not going home for the summer.
After class is over, everyone tries to go up front and talk to him, and Penny is no exception. She lingers at her seat, putting everything neatly away in her bag. By the time she’s done that, most of the class has cleared out. Before she can even get up to the front, though, Tony’s eyes are scanning the few remaining students, and then they land on her with burning intensity. She feels a shiver run down her spine.
“Ah, Miss Parker, correct?” he asks, ignoring the guy trying to ask him a question. The kid scoffs and rolls his eyes, walking away with a soft ‘typical.’ Penny ignores it. She’s used to people thinking she’s sleeping with professors.
“Yes, Mr. Stark, that’s me,” she chirps with nods, her brown curly ponytail bouncing.
“Just call me Tony, please,” he says with a charming smile. “I just wanted to say I’m glad you’re taking the class. I’ve read some of your papers. Your work is impressive, to say the least.”
“Oh,” she says in surprise. “I– really? I didn’t take you for a chemistry man, Mr– I mean, Tony.”
“I’m not usually,” he laughs, almost sounding sheepish as he shoves his hands in his pockets. “But your work, Miss Parker, I admit, has me intrigued. I’d love to discuss it with you sometime.”
She giggles a little, her cheeks heating up slightly. He’s still Tony Stark, ruggedly handsome and her number one celebrity crush. “I’d talk chemistry with you any day,” she laughs. “And call me Penny, please.”
—
“Mr. Parker?”
“Huh. What? Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” he stammers, trying to pull himself back together. Whiskey eyes stare at him with that same burning intensity, but also amusement. Peter is mortified, and he wants to turn and run. “Um, you can– you can just call me Peter.”
“Peter, then,” Tony chuckles. He gestures to the chair in front of the desk. “Please have a seat.”
Without his permission, his body moves him further into the room, the door clicking shut behind him. He tries to stay professional, to hold himself tall, and stay true to himself as Peter, terrified that being in the same room as this man will bring Penny Parker crawling from the recesses of his mind. Clearly, Tony doesn’t recognize him, and that’s for the better.
He sits down in the chair, swallowing nervously. “I’m sorry, I just really wasn’t expecting this.”
“Hey, relax, kid,” he chuckles, leaning back in the chair casually. “I get it, trust me. I know it’s all a bit hush-hush, but we’ll get to that in a minute. For now, let's get to the nitty-gritty. Your resume says you’ve been working for Os Corp for the last five years. Is that right? What makes you want to switch to Stark Industries?”
Peter hesitates, telling himself he doesn’t have to answer. He could walk out right now, go back to his perfectly decent job, and never see Tony Stark again. But of course, his mouth opens without his permission. “I have, and they’re fine, but I don’t believe I’m meeting my full potential with Os Corp.”
“You’re a senior member of the department,” he counters with a raised brow. “You have degrees in chemical and mechanical engineering. How could they be wasting talent like that?”
“You’d be surprised,” Peter grimaces.
Tony stares at him intently, and Peter swears he sees right through him. “Now tell me the real reason.”
“What? I–”
“Give me the real, honest reason you want this job. Not the bullshit professional answer.”
—
“Tell me why you love chemistry.”
Penny laughs around her bite of pastry. “It’s fun! I like science, always have. Less chance of a nail breaking in a chem lab than in a robotics one.”
Tony snorts and rolls his eyes, sipping at his coffee. “Okay, now give me the real answer.”
“What do you mean?”
“The not bullshit one,” he explains. “The one that seems ridiculous to explain to anyone else.”
She bites her lower lip and shakes her head with a laugh, looking out over the busy coffee shop before finally looking back at him. He’s totally serious. She sighs and crosses her arms on the table, leaning in to talk to him a little quieter. “Do you ever feel like something is off in your life? And if you can just invent the right thing or solve the right equation, it’ll fix it?”
“Every day,” Tony says softly.
“Every time I mix a formula or work on my webs,” she murmurs, fidgeting with the end of her ponytail. “I feel a little bit closer to fixing it.”
His eyes soften, and he reaches across the table, taking her hand in his. “I hope that one day you find the solution to what needs fixing. But if it makes you feel any better,” he says softly. “I don’t think there’s a single thing about you that needs solving.”
—
“The benefits,” Peter sighs with hesitance, not wanting to reveal too much. “The pay is better, health care, and free housing? I mean, I’d be dumb to pass up the opportunity.”
Tony raises a brow. “You say that like you’ve had this argument with yourself a lot. Is there something holding you back?”
God, damn it, Tony.
Peter’s fingers twitch to fidget with the end of a ponytail that is not there, but he manages to keep his hands in his lap. “I have a daughter,” he says with a tiny swallow. “Uprooting her life is something I’d like to avoid, but if it means I can provide a better one, then I think I have to take it.”
He softens, the same way he had in the cafe, and Peter wants to cry and laugh all at the same time. How can he look at him the same way and not see him? Testosterone works wonders, apparently.
“I will be honest with you, Peter,” Tony says seriously. “You’d be uprooting her life.”
He blinks in surprise. “H-how? The job listing just said lab tech, not–”
“The job position isn’t actually for Stark Industries. It’s for the Avengers.”
“What?” he gasps.
Tony chuckles, clearly having expected that reaction. “It’s an on-site position for someone to assist me in creating new tech for the team. We’re growing rapidly, and even though I’m as retired as someone like me can be, I just can’t keep up on my own. I need a second pair of hands. Your second set of hands, preferably.”
“What–but–the girl downstairs said you had two other candidates,” he gulps.
“I did, and they’re no good,” he sighs. “Your resume was the most promising to begin with, and you’re the only one who hasn’t gone totally star-struck. The impression I’ve gotten from you is that you can talk to the people on my team without reaching for an autograph book.”
Peter lets out a strangled laugh, almost delirious. “I– yes you could say that,” he says weakly. “So, the position is–”
“On Avengers campus, yes,” he nods. “You’d have a private apartment, but would be welcome to intermingle in the team spaces. To create technology for them, you need to understand them. Their habits, their quirks. You’d study trainings, run tests, and have complete creative freedom as long as you can work in collaboration with whoever you’re making tech for.”
“It sounds like you’re inviting me to be an Avenger,” he jokes.
Tony laughs. “In a way, I am.”
Oh god, Peter, don’t do this. It’s such a bad idea.
“And now that I know your circumstances, we can negotiate for other accommodations,” he adds. “The campus is just outside of a cute little town. I can provide a car or a driver for school transport. Everyone on the team loves kids, so there are no issues there. She might even brighten up the place. How old did you say she was?”
“I- I didn’t,” he stammers. “And she’s ten.”
He waits for Tony to get some look of recognition on his face, waits for everything to come crashing down, and to be kicked out and yelled at. Instead, he grows even more fond-looking. “And would there be any issues with custody? Her mother–”
“Uh, no,” Peter says quickly, feeling like he’ll faint if they wander down that road. “I have full custody. It’s not a problem.”
Tony nods and then sits up a little straighter, leaning his arms on the desk and looking at Peter seriously. “I will be perfectly honest with you here, Peter. You have complete control. I want you on that campus, in my lab, on my team. What do I have to do to make it happen?”
—
“Tony, we can’t,” Penny says forlornly, refusing to meet his eye.
“And why not?” he asks, still holding onto her arm where he’d stopped her from walking away.
“You’re my teacher and I’m– you’re Tony Stark and I’m–”
“You are Penny Parker, and you are everything I want in this life,” he breathes out, sounding desperate. “One date, Pen. One real date. What do I have to do to make it happen?”
—
Peter swallows hard, fighting back the tears that are crawling up the back of his throat. He can’t fall apart here. Not now. This is ridiculous. He’s not taking this job. But he knows Tony won’t let him not take it either.
So he’s got to make him rescind the offer.
“You’ll pay for movers?” he throws out.
“Done.”
“I want twenty-five percent more than offered.”
“We can do fifty.”
“A college fund for my daughter with compounding interest.”
“Of course.”
“A private lab.”
That finally gives him pause. “It would take time, but it’s doable. We’d be working together a lot of the time, though.”
“I like my space sometimes,” Peter insists.
“Alright, consider it built,” he nods.
“I’m concerned about safety,” he tries. “My kid is curious.”
“My AI Friday is present in the entire compound and in charge of security. She won’t open any doors for anyone not authorized. I’ll give the team a safety brief as well, let them know where she is and isn’t allowed. She’ll be safe, I promise.”
God damn it, Tony, he thinks again, trying not to huff. He’s got to try harder. “I- I want gender affirming care covered by the insurance.”
If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it. “We have a doctor and medical team on site that will cater to anything you need. If they can’t get it, we’ll ensure you see someone who can, and it’ll be paid for.”
Peter laughs weakly, sitting back in the chair and looking away for a moment, biting down on his lower lip. He shakes his head and sighs before looking back at him. “Is there anything you won’t do?”
“Probably not,” he grins.
“I-I need to think about it,” he says, swallowing nervously. “Talk to my daughter.”
“Of course,” he nods, his smile falling, but not looking upset, per se. He slides a card across the desk. “That’s my number. I’d love to know by the end of the week so I can keep looking if needed.”
Peter takes it, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. “I can do that.”
It doesn’t matter anyway. He’s not going to say yes. He can’t do that to himself.
“Can I ask– what’s your daughter’s name?” Tony asks, his head tilted to the side.
“Oh, it’s um, Halley,” he says.
“Like the comet?” he asks in surprise.
—
“You know I layed right here on this lawn in eighty-six and watched Halley’s comet?” Tony grins.
“You did not!” Penny laughs, whacking his arm.
He grabs her hand and brings it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. She smiles softly and shifts closer on the blanket, leaning her head against his shoulder as they look up at the stars. “I did!” he swears. “Wasn’t a very good view, but I did.”
“You’re so old,” she teases with an eye roll. “And you’re just showing off because I told you I wanted to see it.”
Tony gasps in offense, turning his head to look at her. In the gentle illumination of the stars and the street lamps, he’s gorgeous. Her entire being yearns for him, and she knows she’s only eighteen, but she swears soulmates are real and this man is hers.
“If I was showing off, you’d know it,” he murmurs, a twinkle in his eye.
“Oh yeah?” she challenges, but her voice is soft and breathy.
He suddenly moves, making her squeal in surprise as she’s pushed back on the picnic blanket with him hovering on one elbow above her—his other hand cups her cheek, brushing his thumb across her skin. “Yeah,” he smirks.
Her eyes flutter shut as he leans closer, and a soft moan escapes her chest as he kisses her. It’s soft and sweet, the most romantic kiss to happen in the history of ever. He tastes like strawberry lemonade, the kind he’d brought for their picnic because he didn’t want to be that bad of an influence. It’s like she’s a comet herself, flying high through the star-lit sky.
—
“Yeah,” Peter whispers, his voice sounding more broken than is appropriate right now. “Like the comet.”
Tony stares at him for a long moment, and once again Peter waits for him to realize. Maybe he should just blurt it out himself. Don’t you remember me? The girl you promised your life to, and then your pseudo-uncle paid off to hide your baby from you after you got kidnapped and had PTSD? He said if you got better, he’d tell you about us, but I guess he never did, probably because you're too busy being a superhero and dating your secretary. You know the one you told me I never had to worry about. Also, I’m not a girl. Hope that’s okay.
“Well, I hope that Halley is excited about the idea,” Tony finally says, like Peter has already said yes. “I will impatiently wait for your call.”
“Okay,” Peter nods, sensing that it’s finally come to an end. He stands up from the chair and is brave enough to extend his hand across the desk. “Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Stark.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he chuckles, shaking it. Peter’s knees buckle at the first touch in eleven years of the hands that had once held him so tenderly. “And call me Tony.”
Peter smiles and pulls his hand away. “I’ll be in touch, Mr. Stark.”
Then he turns and walks away. Away from Tony. Away from this mistake. He’d go home to his apartment with May and Halley. Back to Os Corp. He’s not taking this job.
He’s not.