teen spirit|| peter parker [1]

prologue

December 2012

There were a lot of words to describe Tony Stark. Some of which to be positive, the majority of which were negative. Genius. Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist. Those are the words he used to define himself. Some would say this was fitting. Many would be repulsed and later admit the truth.

Tony Stark was a good man, he was just...

just...

so busy trying to do the right thing, that often the execution would be in the dark.

Though one word someone might use is- odd.

However, threatening a terrorist and wearing his iron suits around Stark Mansion as protection only a matter of days before Christmas, while absurd and uncommon, was an unsurprising move from him. A dangerous move, yet very probable.

"Right there is fine." he holds his shaking arm out, though not even slightly visible as the iron clasps tightly around him. With his whole body practically pulsating with anxiety and adrenaline, undoubtedly regret to be thrown into the mix; he realises that perhaps there would have been much more suitable ways to have handled this, rather than leaking his home address to the world, said terrorist included.

The striking brunette woman in front of him raises her eyebrows expectantly, despite Tony's mind drawing a blank. Perhaps the stress is busying him, perhaps he just doesn't care enough to remember. Though she looks at him as though they're old pals. Was she from M.I.T? He recalls his college girlfriends, though can't seem to match her face to any of the faded memories inside of his head.

"You're not the Mandarin. Are you?" The tightness in his chest slightly subsides, as he comes to the realisation that this woman is most likely not a threat to him nor Pepper, though the choking feeling in his throat is still excruciatingly prominent and causes his voice to slightly waver as he speaks. Though this would go unnoticed to anyone aside from Pepper, Rhodey and Happy. Tony stark has mastered the art of wearing a mask, though there is no doubting his conceited personality, and there is no doubting just how charming one finds it.

Genius. Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist.

His mask loosens to reveal his face, as the women before him slips a scornful sneer onto her twitching smirk, a breathy chuckle of disbelief parting her lips as she cocks her head to the side and examines him thoroughly. "You really don't remember. Why am I not surprised?"

"Don't take it personally, I can't remember what I had for breakfast." he snaps back without missing a beat. That typical Tony Stark arrogance radiating from him, even noticeable through the thick suit of iron covering his skin.

"Look, I need to be alone with you. Somewhere that's not here. It's urgent." she stutters in frustration before Tony struts away, informing this mystery women of his committed relationship.

"With her." he gestures to Pepper, who has gone into full control mode and is raiding their closet and bedroom for clothes and possessions, before stuffing them into bags and tossing them over the railings of the upstairs hall. They hit against the floor in an unsatisfying thud, though Tony doesn't have any more anxiety left in him to be concerned over smashed items and broken bottles. Evidently, she isn't planning on sticking around too long. He doesn't blame her.

Tony climbs out of his suit with ease, as Pepper comes running down the staircase, concern flooding her voice as she asks Tony if someone is in the house with them, clearly the thought of the Mandarin and the fact Tony had threatened a terrorist earlier that day, is still stuck in her mind.

"Just an-" he panics. His brain searches for a plausible excuse for him to spit out, as it occurs to him that this lady from his so-called past is most likely a lot more familiar with him than he realised, "old botanist pal."

Pepper stumbles across the twenty-foot tall stuffed rabbit which Tony had gifted to her not too long ago, while he pulls his 'guest' over to the side of the room.

He quietens his voice to a barely audible whisper, the tension in the room soaking up all of the sound, meaning no one except for the woman standing six inches from him would be able to hear it. "Please don't tell me there's a thirteen-year-old kid waiting in the car that I've never met."

The woman gazes up at him with desperation in her eyes, "Tony... she's twelve."

He flinches before realising the credibility of her statement. Yes, in his past he was a bit of a... philanderer, but the rational fraction of his brain sets him in check, 'You leaked your address to a clearly pissed-off journalist and about a hundred onlookers. This woman could be insane for all I know.'

He scoffs in amusement, before turning away to approach Pepper, who is practically vibrating due to shaking so severely. Clearly, the stress isn't doing her much good either.

"You know, you're funny. Anyone ever tell you that you should do stand-up?"

Though Tony Stark would not find this to be the most comical of situations, especially when he watches this woman- Maya Hansen- be killed at the hands of Aldrich Killian, another mysterious figure from his past.

Tony Stark would not find this to be the most comical of situations, especially when he hears the last words to part Maya's lips before she dies.

"Tony... she really is twelve."