A/N: TRIGGER WARNING: HYPERVENTILATION IN THIS CHAPTER. Featuring sassy Peter.
Tony slowly breathed in and out deeply, forcing himself to ignore the acrid stench of vomit.
It wouldn't do to lash out at the puking kid in public. So instead, he placed a comforting hand on his back and rubbed, meanwhile trying to rub this memory from his brain.
When it looked like the kid was finally done, he said "Let's go home."
Tony wrapped the suit around his body and carefully held Peter in his arms, flying the both of them to the tower.
Peter was incoherent the entire time and Tony couldn't help but shake his head at his kid. What was he thinking? Tony knew he taught Peter better than that in the 6 months they've known each other.
Upon entering the doors of the tower, Pepper came rushing out in time to see Peter curl up on the couch. "Oh my gosh, Tony! What happened to him?!"
Tony frowned and said "The kid here decided to ditch school and go drinking with his friends."
Pepper leaned down and petted his hair affectionately. "Poor baby."
Despite the anger he was feeling, most of it melted away when Tony saw Pepper's maternal side. What a great mother she'll be.
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Peter opened his eyes, but had to shut them quickly as he felt a pounding headache. He groaned and tried to sit up.
"Ugh. What the hell?"
Then the previous night came flashing back. All the beers he had to drink coming back to haunt him. The conversation he had with Flash. TONY COMING TO PICK HIM UP!
Crap! He puked on Tony.
But somehow, he couldn't really bring himself to care that much about that part.
He stumbled over to the cabinet in his bathroom and took a handful on pain reliever. His fast metabolism would burn through the regular amount, so he had to take much more.
Drinking a glass of water, he laid back down until the headache subsided enough for him to pick up his phone.
Tons of notifications came through from Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and a bunch of news programs.
"Mini Stark's Night Out"
"Peter Stark Following his Father's Footsteps"
"Stark Jr. Underage Drinking"
Headlines were all over his screen along with the pictures from the night before and Peter couldn't help but smile. An heir is what he wanted, and heir is what he got. Wait until Tony sees this.
He finally left his bed and went to take a shower and freshen up. When he finished getting ready, Peter noticed it was 7:20 am which meant he had enough time to eat quickly and head to school.
Before he could leave though, his room door barged open and Tony stood there in all his glory.
"Rough morning, Underoos?"
Peter rolled his eyes and said "I'm completely fine. Puking definitely helped."
Tony's eyes narrowed at the reminder and he said "We don't have enough time now, but you come straight home after school. And you WILL go to school. We have a lot to talk about, young man."
Peter gave a mock salute, but as he was leaving, Tony grabbed his arm and said "I don't know what's gotten into you, but this isn't the Peter I know."
Peter pulled his arm away and replied "And you aren't the Tony I know."
He grabbed a banana from the kitchen and met Happy in the garage where the dour man drove the 20 minutes to Midtown High.
On the way, Happy kept glancing in the mirror, looking at Peter, but he pretended not to notice. He didn't want to talk to the man that stayed complicit in his kidnapping, even though it isn't technically a kidnapping.
When they finally reached, Peter wasted no time in hopping out and looking for his friends. In all honesty, Peter was surprised that Tony was still letting him go despite yesterday's events.
Peter took a moment to close his eyes and take a deep, weary breath. Was he doing the right thing? Is this how he should go about acting? What would Tony do?!
OH GOD! What would Tony do??? He realizes now that the man is truly in control. How would the man punish him for yesterday's events? Would Tony hurt him? Would he hurt May?!
Peter didn't realize he was hyperventilating until thin arms wrapped around him. MJ. She hugged him while Ned talked him through the attack. "Peter pinch one nostril and breath though your nose. Good. Now copy my breathing."
When his breath was finally under control, Peter thanked Ned and the trio stood silently until Peter was ready.
"Guys. What if all this is a mistake? Acting this way. What if it all backfires."
Ned stood beside him and said "Pete, whether it's a mistake or not, you felt like it was the right thing to do, which means it's not a mistake. You decided to try something to make your situation better. If it'll turn out okay is another thing, but don't go regretting your decisions now, because right now you have his attention and the real question is, what will you do with it?"
MJ sat on his other side and said "You are in control Peter, don't let him take it from you. Just know, whatever you decide to do, we are behind you, but don't second guess yourself out of fear. If he does something to someone you love, his bargaining chip is gone. He'll have nothing left to hold over you. He won't waste it on something as simple as you cutting school."
As dark as the entire conversation sounded, Peter knew they were right. There was a reason he decided to do this, and he needed to follow through. For Aunt May.
Except, the entire plan sounded fishy to begin with. What is he even trying to prove? Tony isn't father material? Everyone already knew that.
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After a long day at school, Peter finally climbed into Happy's car and endured the ride home. He felt the driver's stare on him every few minutes, but refused to meet his eyes, or even say anything.
The driver tried to make conversation though. "So how was school, kid?"
Peter shrugged and said "Fine."
Happy kept pushing, even after the clear dismissal. "Anything interesting or crazy happen?"
Peter sighed and said "No. Just cut to the chase, Happy."
Happy stayed silent for a moment, knowing he was caught. "Fine. Your father wants to see you in his office as soon as you get home."
Peter didn't think of the tower as home, but knew it was his home nonetheless. "My father died eleven years ago."
Peter enjoyed the slight swerve of the car, knowing he caused that reaction out of the surly man. Happy cleared his throat and said "Your new father.e Tony."
Peter didn't answer though as they drove into the private garage of the tower. They both stepped out and entered the elevator, enduring the awkward silence that filled the elevator until Happy stepped off on the 63rd floor. Peter let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Despite Happy's instructions, Peter stepped off the elevator and immediately went to his room, dropped his bag and lied in bed. He shut his eyes and allowed himself to imagine he was in his apartment with May.
That soon was cut short when Friday spoke to him "Mini-boss, Boss requires you in his office now."
Peter rolled his eyes and walked to Tony's office in the penthouse. Without knocking, he opened the door and walked in.
With a bored tone, he asked "What?"
Tony was sitting there expectantly, with a raised eyebrow at the tone."
He said "First off, lose the attitude. Second, this morning I could've sworn I told you to come here directly after school?"
With the same bored tone, Peter replied "You said to come straight home, but Happy brought me here.
For a moment, Peter let himself enjoy the look that crossed over Tony's face. The one that made him look like he sucked a sour lemon.
Tony said "This is your home now, Peter"
But Peter ignored him.
Tony tried to make conversation. "I noticed a spike in your oxygen levels today."
Peter nodded and said "Yeah that tends to happen when I feel anxious or panicky."
This raised alarm bells in Tony's mind. "What caused you to feel that way."
Peter shrugged and said "Maybe when you said we have a lot to talk about and then you 'young man'd me." Peter knew what he was doing, and hoped to get away with guilting the man.
And boy did it work as Tony felt an immense amount of guilt for scaring his son. "Oh Pete, I did mean it when I said we have a lot to talk about. But I only wanted to tell you how much you've been scaring me with this behavior. And look at the headlines." He said as he pulled up the headlines.
"They're starting to compare you to me when I was a young kid in my party days. I don't want that for you."
Peter stood up and said "I am the heir! It's time I start acting like it!"
Tony stood up too. "Is that what this is about? You think this is how an heir acts? You are dead wrong, my boy!"
Peter crossed his arms and said "Don't call me 'your boy'! And apparently this is how all Stark heirs act."
Tony shot back "Like a brat?!"
Peter furrowed his eyebrows and said "I'm not a brat!"
Tony said "Look at how you're acting! Yelling at me because I won't let you run around, drinking in the middle of the day! News Flash Peter! You are 14! What are you even doing in a bar in the middle of the week?"
Peter said "I suppose I'm just taking after my 'father' and enjoying my inheritance."
Tony reared back as if he's just been slapped "I see what you're doing. You think if you're seen in the tabloids misbehaving, it'll look bad on me? Well guess what, you only make yourself look bad and what will the Universities think when you're applying? What will MIT think?"
Peter shrunk back at having been caught. How did the man catch on? But he fired back "Who even said I'm going to MIT?!"
Tony smirked and said "I did. Just now. You will be attending MIT just like me and just like your grandfather. And you will be getting in because from now on, you are cleaning up your act. You are not entering a bar until you're 21 and you will NOT be seen by any media personnel acting the way you were yesterday. You are a Stark now, and with that comes a certain responsibility. As for your little stunt yesterday, all your electronics are mine for a week. No cell phones, no tv, no video games, and no computer unless it's for school."
Before Peter could respond, Pepper entered the room. "Peter! I didn't know you were home!" She came over and gave the poor boy a big hug. "It's so nice to finally place a face to the voice! I just want you to know, baby, that I am here for you. Whatever you need, just ask. I don't want to replace anyone, but I am here to help take care of you from now on. I know Tony can be a bit much, but I can balance that if you let me." She said sweetly.
She smiled at Tony's little "hey!"
Peter felt a little bad, but he knew what he needed to do. He hugged her back tightly and said "Tony is being mean! He's taking my electronics away for a week!"
Tony spluttered at the look he was receiving from Pepper. "Pep! You didn't hear the attitude he was just giving me! Plus, did he tell you that yesterday he skipped school to go drinking with his friends? Therefore, he is being punished."
Tony wanted Peter to know that Pepper knows of his misdeeds.
Peter gulped slightly at the look Pepper was giving him. He did not know this woman at all, but she was giving off motherly vibes, and it reminded him of May. They were both fierce, strong, kind, loving women. Peter decided he liked Pepper.
Pepper still held him in her arms while she said "Well Peter, it sounds like you earned it then. You are 14 years old, you have no idea the kind of damage alcohol could do to your body, not to mention your brain. You also don't need your pictures plastered all over the media. You have your entire life to have to endure that. Plus! The only attention you should be getting in positive attention for good deeds and awards."
Tony didn't believe his eyes and ears when he saw the mama-bear chastising their pouting son. How on earth did he get so lucky?
Oh how he'll enjoy it when they can finally be a proper family.
In the meantime, he'll just have to enjoy the little he has now.
He actually missed it soon after because when Pepper left to make dinner, the surly boy stomped off to his room and handed over all the electronics he owned. His cell phone, Starkpad, laptop, all his video game consoles and even the Starkwatch Peter never uses. Tony wanted it all, to show he wasn't playing around.
After that, Peter went to sulk in his bedroom about the unfairness of it all.
Tony shook his head fondly. Ahhhhh. Peter is finally warming up to him again. (A/N: It he????)