"Liar," MJ muttered on her way past Peter. He blinked.
"Wh- what?" She ignored him, but he caught her arm and she pulled away.
"You don't intern at Stark Industries. I checked."
"You... checked?"
"I intern there, obviously."
"Well, uh, maybe you missed my name?" She gave him a flat look, but he was saved but the bell and she didn't mention it again.
Several months had passed. Now MJ knew about Peter's alter ego and he was pretty sure they were dating although they were yet to make it official.
"Hey, you're coming to work with me tomorrow."
"Pardon?" They'd been sat in comfortable silence on a park bench for several minutes before she'd blurted that out.
She shrugged with a somewhat awkward wry smile. "It's bring your partner to work day tomorrow. I'd like you to come along to my internship. If you want to come?"
Peter tried not to let himself blush. Was she asking him to be her partner? "I- I'd be delighted."
"Great. I'll pick you up tomorrow at 4."
She was there five minutes early. He wore his best shirt, and was ridiculously nervous. Mostly because of MJ and how good she looked in her suit. But also because working at Stark Industries was his dream, and he wanted to make a good impression but also the Avengers had been chasing Spider-Man and what if something happened that revealed his identity and now he was being paranoid but what if-
"Peter?" MJ waved her hand in front of his face. "You're going to make me late. If you get me fired I'm killing you."
On the way to the tower, MJ turned to look at him. "I intern under Pepper Potts. Just thought you should know."
"Miss Potts? As in the CEO?"
"No, the other Pepper Potts."
"That's amazing, MJ! Why didn't you say before? That's such an achievement!"
MJ shrugged. "I started as a normal intern and worked my way up just like anybody else."
"What, in six months?"
"Yes."
"You're amazing, MJ."
"Shut up, loser," she led him through the entrance.
The receptionist smiled at her. "Miss Jones. I wasn't aware you'd be bringing a companion today."
"This is Peter," MJ said. "Parker."
The receptionist nodded and handed Peter a visitor badge.
"Come on," she led him to an elevator further from the ones everyone else was using. "It's Miss Potts's private one," she said in explanation. "FRIDAY?" They started going up.
"Friday?" Peter asked.
"Yes, Mr Parker?" A female voice said from the ceiling.
"Woah," Peter looked up, unable to spot the speakers. "Is it an AI?"
"Yes, I am installed throughout the tower. Please ask for any assistance you may require," FRIDAY replied. The doors slid open.
"Is that you, MJ?" A voice called from an open door.
"What can I do for you, Miss Potts?" MJ hurried towards the voice, and looked through the doorway with a professional smile.
"Perfect, just the woman I need. Can you go through these files and pick out the ones that are actually worth looking at, please?"
"Of course. I also brought my... partner."
Peter moved to join her in the doorway with a nervous smile. The CEO looked up from her paperwork with a surprised smile. "Oh! How lovely to meet you!" She got up to shake her hand. "I'm Pepper."
"Peter," he said. "I'm a big fan. Can I do anything to help you?"
"A coffee would be great, thanks." Pepper sat back down, running a hand through her styled hair as she examined the papers on her desk.
"The machine's down the hall on the left. She takes it with three teaspoons of milk and no sugar," MJ murmured. He heard easily with his enhanced senses and gave her a grateful smile on his way out. She had her own desk and looked like a serious businesswoman with the papers splayed in front of her and her hair pulled back in a bun. Like a miniature version of Pepper.
Peter figured out how the machine worked and returned with the coffee in a couple of minutes. He set it carefully on a mat on Pepper's desk, making sure not to spill a drop. The CEO took a sip and gave a sigh of relief. "Exactly what I needed. This one's a keeper, MJ."
MJ pretended not to hear, but Peter saw her cheeks turn pink.
The internship lasted three hours. Peter was given a series of menial tasks to complete, and watched MJ complete high-level jobs and make executive decisions with awe.
They were nearing the two-hour mark when Pepper finished going through he work she had on her desk and checked her phone. She frowned, and glanced at the printer.
"What's wrong?" MJ asked.
"Tony said he was sending me some files to take a look at, but that was ten minutes ago."
"Do you think he sent them to your old office again?"
"Probably."
MJ stood up. "I'll go fetch them. You should take a break."
Pepper rolled her eyes and smiled at MJ's retreating figure, but she closed her laptop and drained the last of her coffee. "Peter, I hope you realise what a special girl you've got."
"No offence, ma'am, but I don't think anybody's 'got' MJ."
Pepper's smile broadened. "Right answer. How long have you two been a couple? She's never mentioned you before."
Peter flushed. "Honestly, I'm not sure. We've been friends for years and I'm fairly sure we've been dating a month or so, but the first time she put a name on it was when she asked me to come to this couple's day with her yesterday."
Pepper nodded in understanding. "You must be very happy."
"Yes, ma'am. The more I get to know her the less I understand why she would choose me when she could have anybody else she wanted."
"And I think that is precisely why she chose you. I like you, Peter, but if you hurt her that won't stop me from hunting you down, understood?"
Peter saluted. "If that happened I'd turn myself over gladly."
"Good." She looked at the paper he was writing on. "Is that your homework?"
"No, just some ideas I'm working on."
"Can I see?"
Peter relinquished the paper. It was a series of equations and snippets of code for an AI he was planning to add to his suit. Pepper skimmed it, and her brows rose.
"You did all of this?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever thought about interning here?"
"I have, but my schedule's already really busy and I never get around to applying."
"Hmm," Pepper handed the paper back. "Take some time to sign up, I'm sure I could put in a good word for you."
Peter nodded. "Thank you." Then his head snapped up. "Something's wrong," he blurted.
Just then, the lights went out. A moment later, emergency lights flashed on in a dim red and the door slammed shut. "Lockdown protocol engaged," FRIDAY said.
"What's happening?" Pepper asked the ceiling.
"Armed assailants have stormed the tower and are heading this way. They appear to be searching for documents and have already ransacked the lower levels."
"Stay calm," Pepper told Peter. "We'll be safe in here."
There was a thud on the door. They glanced at each other. Another thud. Like someone was banging on the thick metal. Faint yelling could be heard.
"FRIDAY, show me what's going on out there."
A screen flickered on to show the corridor also bathed in red light. MJ was banging on the door, glancing in fear at the elevator behind her. A sheaf of paper was tucked under her arm.
"FRIDAY, let her in."
"I'm afraid I can't do that. The assailants are 5 seconds away from entering the hallway." MJ gave up and started looking for somewhere to hide.
"Override code salt shaker. Open the door!"
The door slid open and Peter ran out. MJ was halfway down the hall, trying all the other doors. He shouted for her to come back. She turned, but then the elevator doors opened and a shot rang out. MJ yelled in pain and twisted to the ground.
"Close the doors!" Pepper yelled, and the elevator doors began to close. The shots stopped as the assailants tried to prop the doors open, and Peter ran over to MJ. A bullet had grazed her side - it was just a surface wound but she was bleeding a lot.
"Are you okay? We need to get back in the office, you'll be safe there," Peter pushed his hands gently against her sides to check nothing was broken. "Talk to me, MJ."
"Never been better," MJ muttered back. The elevator doors had been pushed back open and their attackers were squeezing through one at a time. "They're after these files." She was still hugging the paper close to her chest.
"Seal my office!" Pepper told FRIDAY loudly and the office door slammed shut as one of the men tried to sprint inside. She ran over to Peter and MJ. "Is she badly injured?"
"Only a surface wound." Peter stayed crouched beside her. The attackers were reassembling, trying to figure out a new plan.
"Why aren't they shooting?"
"They don't want to damage the files, I guess."
Peter glanced around him. MJ and Pepper, both defenceless. Six- no, seven armed assailants. A sealed corridor.
Pepper and Peter both stood with determination at the same moment, taking up a protective stance in front of MJ. "Get behind me!" Pepper demanded, then took off at a sprint, beginning to... glow? She grabbed onto the arm of the first man and he screamed in pain as his flesh began to burn. Another raised his gun to try to shoot Pepper now that she was away from the papers, but Peter shot a web to block the barrel and another to cover his face.
"Stay here," he told MJ and then followed Pepper into battle.
Ten minutes later, the hallway was silent. All of the attackers were unconscious and tied up in one of the spare rooms. The floor was smeared with blood and soot. Golden veins pulsing and fading, Pepper rushed back to MJ and Peter followed.
The wound had mostly stopped bleeding but it would need disinfecting and binding, soon.
"Do you think you can walk to my office?" Pepper asked worriedly. Before MJ could reply, Peter lifted her with ease and carried her into one of the chairs. "You need medical attention."
"No, I need explanations."
Pepper fumbled a little with a first aid kit, so Peter took it and began to carefully treat the wound with experienced hands.
"Where would you like me to start?"
"At the beginning? How and why were you glowing?"
"Years ago, I was captured and experimented on by a man who wanted revenge on Tony. He had come up with a way of giving the human body the ability to heal and regenerate from extreme physical damages as well as various physical enhancements and an exothermic ability. The downside was, all of his subjects eventually self-combusted. When Tony found me, it was almost too late."
"What happened?" Peter prompted when Pepper trailed off, lost in memories. She gave a wry smile.
"He fixed me. He told everyone that he'd found a way to counteract the experiments, and he did, but instead he went further and stabilised it, so I would have a surprise weapon; a way to protect myself against any of his other crazy enemies." She shrugged. "It's been helpful on several occasions."
MJ nodded slowly, hissing a little as Peter sterilised her wound.
"And you, Peter?" Pepper turned to him. "I'm fairly sure normal teens don't know how to treat a bullet wound. Or go charging into a gunfight for their girlfriend. Were those webs you were shooting? MJ, you don't seem shocked by any of this."
"He's Spider-Man," MJ explained bluntly before Peter could even begin to come up with an excuse.
"I see," she looked at him appraisingly. "Well, you're probably a little young to be an Avenger."
"A... what?"
"They've been trying to recruit you for weeks, Tony keeps complaining about how hard you are to catch."
"That's why they follow me? I thought they wanted to arrest me or something!"
"I can tell them you're here now if you'd like?"
"Um... this is going to sound so rude Miss Potts but I don't really want to be an Avenger. I like doing what I'm doing now. Helping the little guy, you know?" He got out some bandages and began wrapping MJ's side.
"I can respect that," Pepper nodded. "Try talking to them next time they're after you. I'm sure they'll understand. In the meantime, how would you feel about a new job?"
It would be an understatement to say that the class was shocked a month later when they won a trip to SI and discovered that quiet, artistic MJ was the CEO's right-hand-woman and Puny Parker was her well-respected bodyguard.