Veins and Wires // Peter Parker

Reunions and Rehiring

"No you weren't, I was. Anyways," he shot back like a child, continuing to lead Peter towards the door and ignore me.

"You screwed the pooch hard. Big time. But then you did the right thing. Took the dog to the free clinic, you raised the hybrid puppies... All right, not my best analogy. I was wrong about you. I think, with a little more mentoring, you could be a real asset to the team." Please say no, please say no, please say no.

"To the... To the team?" Peter stammered astounded, looking at father and back at me. I nodded encouragingly, knowing it was his choice to make whether I liked it or not. It was bad enough I got sucked into the group, I really did not want him to have the same shitty fate.

"Yeah. Anyway..." he trailed off, pointing to the conference hall door. "There's about fifty reporters behind that door. Real ones, not bloggers."

"What do you have against bloggers?" He promptly ignored me, pressing some buttons on his watch making a secret compartment in the wall open up, revealing the Iron Spider amour.

"When you're ready... Why don't you try that on? And I'll introduce the world to the newest official member of the Avengers: Spider-Man." Father said dramatically, waving his hands in the sky as Peter slowly walked towards the suit, amazed.

"I..." He trailed off, chuckling in amazement.

"Yeah. Give that a look," father said as Peter continued to stare at the suit. I put a hand on his shoulder making sure he did not faint with shock or something.

"So, after the press conference, Happy will show you to your room, your new quarters," father explained before turning to Happy. "Where's he between? He's next to Vision?"

"I am next to Vision," I clarified smirking at my father. "Peters would be next to my room, actually," I gloated subtly causing father to turn to Happy. I glanced at Peter who was beet red but still did not take his eyes away from his suit.

"Make a note to change his room immediately," he whispered to Happy as he glared at me. Peter turned to my father hesitantly.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark. But I'm good." I quietly sighed in relief as father turned to him confused.

"You're good? Good? How are you good?"

"Well, I mean, I'm... I'd rather just stay on the ground for a little while. Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Somebody's got to look out for the little guy, right?" I suppressed a proud smile, pursing my lips as father took off his glasses and stared at him.

"You turned me down? You better think about this. Look at that. Look at me. Last chance, yes or no?"

"No." Now at that point, I was already grinning with pride.

"Okay. It's kind of a Springsteen-y, working-class hero vibe that I dig. Uh, Happy will take you home. Yeah?" Father said, turning to Happy as he tried to keep his cool.

"Yeah. Mind waiting in the car? I need a minute," Happy said nonchalantly. Both adults were trying to keep calm as I tried not to burst out laughing at their misery.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark."

"Yes, Mr. Parker. Very well," father said formally as they shook hands. Oh, I am thoroughly enjoying this.

"See you around."

"Okay."

They farewelled awkwardly, as I watched Peter walk away with a spring in his step. He comes to a slow halt and turns back as father hid away the suit in the wall.

"That was a test, right? There's, uh, nobody back there?"

"Uhm, yeah obviously. Good job, Webs! You passed with flying colors!" I lied cheerfully, smirking at my father in victory.