The Stark Internship

Part 21

PETER

I'm in and out for a while. I lose track of time and forget who's come in when. MJ and Ned came to visit me sometime but I didn't speak.
And then, from nowhere, I stand up and walk out of my room. I look around, not sure where to go.
I find myself in a kitchen, the clock reading 8AM. I sit on the stool and wait.
'Jarvis?' I ask, hesitant.
'It's FRIDAY now.' A woman's voice replies, 'how can I help you Peter?'
'Um, I...don't know.' I say, 'I just wanted to see if it would work. Sorry.'
'That's alright, would you like me to get Tony for you?' She asks.
'No.' I say quickly, 'that's okay. I'm fine.'
'Alright.' She says, 'the cereal is located in the second cupboard along, the bowls in the one above and spoons can be found beside the sink.'
'Thank you.' I say, instantly rising and making myself a bowl of cereal. Ever since the spider bite my metabolism has seemed to go against all human logic. I'm constantly hungry, eating at least six meals a day on average. The last month or so, I have eaten extremely little.
I finish a box of Cheerios before I even know what I'm doing.
'You hungry?' Pepper asks, wrapping a dressing gown around herself as she walks into the kitchen.
'I, sorry.' I say, sheepish.
'No, go ahead. No one else really eats cereal in the house anyway.' She says. She puts the kettle on and sits beside me. 'Good to see you about. Have you talked to Tony yet?'
'Isn't he asleep?' I ask, confused.
'God no. Tony never sleeps later than 5AM. It's incredibly annoying.' She says, laughing lightly. I smile, 'he's just downstairs in his workspace. I normally bring him his coffee but if you want to say good morning?'
'I'll take it.' I say, maybe a little to eager. Now that I'm feeling more aware, more in touch with the world, I want to have a proper conversation with him. About the people who attacked me, about what'll happen to me now, about May.
'Thank you.' She says, smiling and handing me a tray with a black coffee, a glass of water and several pills. She points me to the stair case and I head hesitantly down.
I push the door open and see Mr.Stark facing away from me, music blaring and working on something I can't quite make out.
I'm not sure how to get his attention. I set the tray down and clear my throat.
'Mr.Stark?' I call out, to no reply. He's too engrossed in his project. I'm just about to call out again when the music stops.
'Coffee, Sir.' FRIDAY says. I've decided I like her.
'Thanks, Pepper, I just-' he falters once he turns to see me, 'Kid, hey, what are you...? Are you...?' He trails off.
'Pepper asked me to bring your coffee.' I say, suddenly feeling embarrassed.
'Thank you.' He says, moving to the tray and taking a sip, 'how you doing?' He asks.
'Okay.' I reply, 'I wanted to...I...I'm not sure what's next.'
'Next as in?' He asks, vague.
'As in what I do. School and living and all of that.' I say, 'I'm not sure how to handle it all.'
'Well, Kid, you put me down as your next legal guardian after May, so technically I am...in charge of all that.' He says, awkward and unsure, 'if you want to change that, of course I'll help. If you want to live in your own place, I can arrange it. But, if you want, you can stay here. Only if you want.'
'I can stay here?' I ask, surprised.
'Of course.' He says.
'I won't be...in the way?' He laughs and shakes his head.
'Of course not, Kid. Pepper's happy to have another face around the place - hell, she'd be grateful for it. I'm not exactly the socialite of the year.' He says, 'take your time. Think about it. But you are more than welcome here.'
I stay silent.
'Well, bottoms up, Kid.' He says as he takes the pills and downs the glass of water.
'What are they for?' I ask, before realising how intrusive a question it is, 'I mean-' But he cuts me off with an answer.
'Anxiety, PTSD, you name it I got it. Being a superhero is damn hard work when you're human.' He says, 'also I have low iron in my blood. Which I know, is incredibly ironic.'
I laugh slightly, thrown by his blasé attitude to his mental issues.
'Come on, I need your opinion on something.' He says, walking towards the desk he was working at. I look around, see his obscene love for technology - one that matches my own. I figure there would be far, far worse places to live.