Summary: Now everyone in their floor knows Peter's secret identity, but Rebecca also sucks at hiding it. So, naturally, Tony Stark finds out.
Part 2 of Real Internship
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"Word has gotten around that there's a new super genius in the building," Tony commented to Pepper in hopes of getting more information.
Pepper hummed in response, confirming the rumor.
Tony waited patiently for her to speak, but she didn't say anything else about it. The billionaire rose a brow in question, prompting her to tell him about it.
"Since when are you interested on the interns?" Pepper asked in confusion.
"Since the head scientist told me he's like a smaller version of me."
"A 12% smaller?" she asked, making Tony sigh.
"I thought we were over this already."
"We're never going to be over this." The billionaire glared halfheartedly at her, making her smile.
"So, about this intern?" Tony pushed, finally getting the CEO to speak.
"His name is Peter Parker."
•××ו
"But I just don't get why you didn't leave and enter through the hallway's windows and not the one beside your desk that is literally in front of everyone," one of the interns told Peter in amusement as they worked together in his web shooters.
"Oh, shut up, Caty. Try to think straight after taking down a telepathic gorilla, I dare you," Peter said, but he was smiling. He was glad he could now talk openly about his alter ego and have help with the tech.
Caty raised her hands in a "I'm innocent" fashion, making Peter laugh.
"I almost have the new web formula for you, Peter!" Rebecca said from the other side of the room. Peter flashed her a grateful smile and a thumbs up.
•××ו
"People speak of this Peter as if he were at my level," Tony commented.
"Who knows? He might be," Pepper said in response.
"I mean, it makes sense or he wouldn't be an intern here at fifteen. It's still strange, how they call him a mini me so much I mean. We have dozens of geniuses working here, that's what we do, but all the scientists were very specific at saying he was a mini me."
"I sure hope he doesn't share some of your habits, though, like not sleeping, living off caffeine and having a guilt complex bigger than your ego."
"Hey!" Tony frowned at her, but a small smile tugged at his lips, betraying his complaint.
•××ו
"Hey, Peter," an intern said as he approached them. "I was wondering if you could help me with a little project of mine?"
Immediately leaving what he was doing, Peter agreed. "Sure, Julian."
They worked in harmony, quickly getting everything done, and then Julian started telling him about new ideas he had had to improve the suit's mask. Peter listened to the genius in fascination, making some additions of his own in between. As soon as their brainstorming session had finished, they dived into work to give their ideas a physical form.
"Almost there, Peter!" Rebecca said in regard of the web formula she was currently working on. Peter smiled at her, and that's when he got an alert by Karen.
Frowning in worry, Peter put on his suit as fast as possible and left through the window, not before alerting everyone who worked in his floor at SI.
How unconvenient was it that the elevator doors opened just a minute after that, and out came Tony Stark?
•××ו
"I think it's nice of you to visit the interns," Pepper commented as she and Tony entered the elevator.
"If there's a mini Tony Stark running around in the tower, I want to meet him, see his real potential," Tony replied as he checked his Stark Tablet. "He should be in floor 45 right now so... Friday?" The AI didn't answer and simply took her boss where he had asked.
"Don't be too hard on him. He's just a teen, he still has a lot of time to learn," Pepper reminded him as the elevator doors opened. With a nod, Tony was gone.
•××ו
Tony strode into the room with a barely concealed look of wonder and curiosity in his face.
"Hey. Lyla, right?" he asked the woman, who nodded in confirmation.
"Lyla Michaels, sir. Is there any way I can be of assistance?"
"There is, actually. Where can I find Peter Parker?"
The woman hesitated for half a second, and Tony had to recognize she was good at hiding it, but he had seen it.
"He's... not currently available, Mr. Stark."
"What do you mean?" the billionaire asked her.
"He's busy. A prodigy such as himself has no time to spare in this kind of places." She was sweating.
Tony rose his brows slightly. "And can I see him work, at least?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but that's not possible right now," Lyla said queasily. She really wanted to help her little friend in his superhero business, he deserved it to say the least, but it was difficult when she had such a powerful person in front of her.
"Just where is Peter?"
There was a short, tense silence, but it didn't last long.
"Yes! I figured out the new web formula for Peter!"
Everyone in the floor, except for a very lost Tony, turned to the oblivious person who spoke. "Rebecca, shut up."
Deafening silence.
The interns and scientist face-palmed. Lyla sighed in defeat. Rebecca grimaced in realization of what she had done. Tony looked around in search of answers.
"Would someone be kind enough to explain what the hell is going on?" Tony demanded.
More silence.
And then, just his luck, Peter climbed through the window. Or, more specifically, he swung through it.
"That was one mean thief," Peter said resentfully as he took off his mask and started touching his wrists, still not looking up. "I'll have to fix my web shooters. Imagine I'm saying some really complex scientific/mechanical stuff because the author can't write about it to save her life."
Tony gaped. Peter finally looked up.
"Well, shit."
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(I was really tempted to leave it there but you would have gutted me alive)
Without a word, Tony grabbed Peter's wrist and pulled him inside the elevator. (Really, why did people keep doing that to him?)
Peter could only blink in confusion and astonishment as his idol, who just happened to be Iron Man, a billionaire, a genius (and also the boss of his boss of his boss of his boss... But he wouldn't think about that just yet) dragged him to a lab once they reached the destiny floor.
Tony walked around the lab for some seconds, as if looking for something, before heading to the coffee machine in the room. That's when Peter took in his surroundings and realized all the advanced, million-dollar stuff laying around.
"I- Is this your personal lab?" Peter asked in confusion. Then he realized he was being rude and had to refrain from slapping himself. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Hello, sir, I'm Peter Parker. It's a real pleasure to meet you!"
Tony looked at the doe-eyed genius in front of him. "Hi, Peter. Or should I say Spider-Man?"
How could that innocent little child be the web slinger superhero that risked his life on the daily?
Peter shuffled his feet. "You can call me whatever feels better for you, Mr. Stark." He paused. "I'm really sorry I was not working when I was supposed to, but there was a robbery right down the street and I couldn't just ignore it-"
"I know," Tony cut what he was saying. "It's fine."
Peter's tense shoulders relaxed. "Thank you."
Once again, a silence settled in between them, but this time it wasn't an awkward one.
"So, Peter, how do you feel about working with me from now on?" Tony asked almost offhandedly, but his words held more weight than he was admitting.
The teen's head shot up in shock. "As Spider-Man or as Peter Parker?"
There was a brief pause, but no hesitation in Tony's voice as he answered. "As both."
Peter smiled widely in reply. "I- I would like that, sir."
"First, if we're going to be working together, you'll have to cut the 'sir' and 'Mr. Stark' crap. Second, I believe you mentioned something about broken web shooters?"