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Tony slumped into his seat, slouching down and glaring towards the stage. He was in a prime location, but since he didn’t want to be there, that wasn’t really something he was going to brag about (he wanted to be backstage, helping his kid. Not where he was, clueless!). To his right, Pepper brushed her hands lightly over the back of her neat skirt, and settled primly into her seat. On her right, May Parker was settling herself, talking quietly to Pepper. Tony glanced to his left, where Bruce Banner was settling himself; the rest of the team sprawled further out from there, both in his row and behind him.
“Stop pouting,” Natasha smirked, leaning forward so her head appeared between Tony and Pepper’s. Tony gave her a glower from the corner of his eye.
“No,” Tony said grumpily, crossing his arms over his chest and sinking further into the seat. Natasha gave a soft snort of amusement, and settled back between Clint and Steve.
“Honestly, Stark.” May leaned forward around Pepper to frown at him, though her eyes were bright with amusement, and a smirk lingered on the corner of her lips. “Peter didn’t tell anyone he was doing this. You’re not special for being left in the dark.”
Tony narrowed his eyes at her. “Pete can’t keep a secret to save himself.” He objected. “How did he keep this secret?”
“That’s not really true,” Pepper put in, frowning at Tony.
“He had help,” Natasha added in, grinning toothily when everyone turned to look at her. She let the silence linger for several long moments, Tony feeling, and looking, more and more betrayed, before she shook her head. “Not from me.”
Tony huffed in annoyance even as the lights faded somewhat, and the event manager stepped up onto the stage, welcoming everyone to the final of their talent show; apparently hundreds of people - both individually and in groups - had applied with their talents, and the crew had narrowed the collection down to around twenty acts. They were each going to put on their show (which was being televised live), and then the public would be given the option to go online and cast votes for their favourites. There were cash prizes going towards foundations of the winners’ choosing.
Sighing, Tony clapped politely as the first act was announced. Apparently they would each have under five minutes to do their thing, before moving on. It really wasn’t Tony’s idea of a fun evening, but he did find himself surprised by how good most of the acts were; they weren’t fascinating like a science expo or his lab, but they were definitely entertaining. Especially when they fucked up, causing Tony and Clint to snigger when harmless but entertaining mistakes were made. Sure, it sucked because the person or team wouldn’t be likely to win when one of them ate the floor, but it was funny. He ignored the disapproving looks Pepper and Bruce were sending him from each side.
As the audience applauded, the host made their way back to centre stage. “Thank you! Next, we have a piece put together by a group: Michelle Jones, Ned Leeds and Peter Parker!”
“Finally!” Tony exclaimed, amidst the Avengers making a scene of whistling and clapping loudly; it was at that point that they were actually noticed (oops) and several cameras zoomed in on them. He couldn’t see it happening per se, but it was obvious from the way the lenses all swung in their direction suddenly. Tony pointedly stared at the stage, and his teammates followed his lead.
There was some scrabbling across the stage, a large piece of cardboard being wheeled out so that it took up the centre background; it was an artistic rendering of some random houses, presumably setting the scene for the stage being in the streets.
Tony’s lips twitched into a small smile as Peter made his way into the centre of the stage, standing before the ‘houses’, an umbrella in one hand, a bowler hat on his head, and dressed in one of his business suits Tony had bought him at some point.
When the music started to play, Tony was not the only one who did a double take. He heard Clint make a confused noise behind him, and saw Bruce lean forward just slightly out of the corner of his eye. Tony also leaned forward, like the extra inches closer could help him understand why on earth Peter was twirling lazily to ‘singing in the rain’… And it was all so boring?
Tony was feeling so disappointed; usually Peter made it so easy to be proud of him, but… this song? Really?
He chuckled softly when Peter made a big deal of lip syncing to the lyrics, though, swinging his umbrella around, and moving across the stage cheerfully. He was such an adorable dweeb.
When the kid did a little tip of his hat and ducked between some other umbrellas, Tony almost didn’t notice all the backup dancers that had appeared on the stage. He also caught a glimpse of movement to the far side, and glancing that way, saw the girl he assumed was Michelle slipping into place to watch, probably for her queue to step out and dance? He couldn’t see the other friend, Ted, but wasn’t too worried.
The sudden change in song had Tony’s attention snapping back to centre stage.
He gaped (and he never gaped!) as the cardboard house was lifted out of view, and Peter appeared on stage.
In drag.
“Holy shit,” Tony blurted, while behind him Clint uttered a four letter word that would be beeped out if anyone heard him. Beside him, Pepper was sitting up straighter, leaning forward, looking eager and delighted. He heard May cackling on her other side. He had a feeling the woman knew exactly what they had all come to watch.
“I…” Tony spluttered, wondering how to comprehend what he was seeing. He knew Peter could be outgoing, and wasn’t afraid of being in the spotlight — but almost always that occurred while he was hiding behind the Spider-Man mask, not when he was Peter and certainly not while he was wearing a skimpy vest and… were those pleather shorts?! Lord on a cracker, the kid had boots on, too, and did he use webbing to glue that wig to his head?!
“You know,” Natasha said, leaning forward, between Tony and Pepper. “He wears that really well.” There was laughter in her voice, and Tony knew her amusement was aimed as his horror, and not at all at Peter’s outfit or dancing.
“I didn’t even know he could dance,” Pepper said, her voice hushed with reverence, watching as Peter strode around the stage, swinging his umbrella and making moves Tony was fairly sure he’d have to bleach out of his brain later. His child should not be swinging his hips like that, especially not in tiny pleather shorts. Christ. He could feel his grey hairs multiplying.
“Me neither.”
“Oh, he started dancing shortly after he came to live with Ben and I,” May put in, not taking her eyes off the stage. “Doctor’s suggested it for mental and physical health.”
Tony hummed slightly, wondering what else he didn’t know about the teenager who had become such an important part of his life.
There were chuckles from the team around him as Peter strut across the stage to mouth the lyrics at Michelle, subtly handing off his umbrella in the process, while the girl smirked and played along. Tony shook his head, laughing at the girl’s antics, raising his brows as Peter strode off again, calling down ‘rain’ from the ceiling in a power move.
“Nice,” Tony grinned, watching in amazement as the kid danced in sync with the backups, heedless of all the water, wondering idly who they were (he would later find out they were acquaintances from Peter’s dance school) as they all went through the motions with enthusiasm and skill, water spraying in every direction.
Then Peter did a goddamn flip, heedless of how slippery the water must have made the floor, landing on his back in the water with a splash, and Tony sprung to his feet as the music trailed off, letting out a loud woop and clapping. Beside him, around him, his teammates also made themselves known, hollering and whistling loudly. The rest of the audience followed their lead, the sounds echoing off the ceiling.
It wasn’t until later, watching the recording FRIDAY saved for him, that Tony realised the audience had been screaming and clapping for most of the two minute act.
“His friends didn’t come on stage?” Tony heard Steve ask, the super soldier looking confused, as the stage was cleared in preparation for the next act.
May grinned, turning around, arm across the back of Pepper’s chair. “MJ did most of the choreography, props and costume design. Ned did all the lighting, sound and water works.”
“That was brilliant!” Clint crowed, throwing himself half across Tony from the row behind. Tony agreed wholeheartedly, but that didn’t stop him from shoving the archer off himself so he could sit down once more. He looked at Pepper with wide eyes.
“How long until we can go find the kid?”
“This should be the last one, now.” She told him fondly, nodding towards the host as they announced the last act.
“God, he better win.”
Behind him, someone snorted.