Chapter Text
Peter rushed through the door just as the late bell rang, backpack slung over one shoulder with the zipper sagging open- its contents threatening to spill onto the linoleum.
“Ah, Mr. Parker!” Mr. Harrington nodded to Peter from where he was leaning against his desk. “So glad you decided to join us today.” He gestured to a stack of thick plastic-wrapped forms, “Take one of these packets and sit down, but don’t open it just yet. I have an important announcement”.
Peter sat down in his chair, flanked by Ned and M.J., brushing damp curls from his forehead. “Dude, late again?” Ned leaned over to whisper into his ear, “What was it this time- bank robbery? some kind of alien invasion over the subway?” Voice growing louder with excitement and garnering stares from nearby classmates. “Ooh did Tony Stark need you for another Avengers mission?”
While he was running late this morning because of Tony, it wasn’t because he had been doing some cool, extravagant Avenger ‘s mission. No, the pair of them had spent the entire night holed up in Tony’s 56th floor lab. See- Peter’s been trying to configurate a new software that could remotely control a set of microscopic self-aware spy drones, aptly named ‘Spi-Drones’.
It was supposed to be a quick project, but Tony got carried away with special features, voice commands, and tiny barbs that release it the Spi-Drones were captured by their enemies. Suffice to say, a two hour job had turned into staying for dinner, which evolved into just staying there until May’s red-eye shift ended and she could pick Peter up. But knowing them, it was practically sun-up when they realised they had passed out at the work bench, DUM-E anxiously hovering over them.
Peter had woken up with a start, bleary eyed and in yesterday’s clothes. He rushed off to school with papers shoved haphazardly into his backpack and a slice of buttered whole-wheat clamped between his teeth.
“Ned, I’ll thank you to keep the chit-chat for lunch.” Ned flushed and settled back into his chair, chewing on his pencil. Mr. Harrington shrugged, stepping over to the blackboard. “More importantly, I have some exciting news.”
At his words, several students perked their heads up. M.J. even paused mid pen-stroke and nudged Peter, “You think he’s going to start talking about his ex-wife having another wedding?” She rubbed some stray ink stains on her fingers, “I’d like a new subject to draw, it gets boring drawing the same faces of despair every day.”
The brunet tilted his head and huffed out a laugh, “Sure, M.J.”. He turned back to the blackboard and began twiddling with a metal bolt in his pocket, What could the announcement possibly be? Surely they weren’t updating the course fees again… Peter dug the hard ridges of the bolt against his fingertips, His scholarship only covered so much and Aunt May already had to take extra shifts to pay for his last lost backpack…
“I’m sure this news will be extra exciting for everyone,” Mr. Harrington puffed out his chest with a grin, “particularly those interested in opportunities to work at a certain billionaires company…”
At this, murmurs began floating through the room but Mr. Harrington raised a finger and they dampened down. “Yes! As I’m sure you have guessed, it is a field trip to Stark Indistries!”
The class broke out into chatter, “When do we get to go?” said Brad Davis.
“Will we get to meet Tony Stark? Or the any of the Avengers?? I’d love to meet Widow, she’s a total feminist icon!” Betty Brant piped up.
Flash Thompson half-leapt out of his seat, mouth hanging open for a moment before composing himself. “We’re going to Stark Industries for real?” He shot a smug grin in Peter’s direction and pointed a stubby finger. “Well I guess we’re going to see that Peter has really been lying all this time! No way that loser managed to score some bullcrap interview with The Tony Stark.”
Peter’s brow furrowed and he chewed his bottom lip refusing to look in Flash’s direction. Just another one of his taunts, if you ignore him he’ll eventually stop. At least that’s what Cap’ says. Hard to believe someone who punches first and asks questions later though…
“Yes, yes I know it’s exciting but I have to brief you all before I can answer any questions.” Mr. Harrington picked up a piece of chalk and began reading out as he wrote.
“Firstly, all knowledge of this trip is to be kept strictly in this classroom and with you guardians. This means that you cannot tell anyone about this field trip until it’s over.” He pointedly looked over at Flash, “Social media usage is banned at S.I. so no Instatok-ing or Snap-gramming unless explicitly approved by the staff.”
He turned back to the blackboard. “The main information is as follows; we leave next Wednesday morning at 7am sharp, we’ll be meeting here at Midtown and take a charter bus there.”
“Secondly, the information packets I’ve given out contain all of the legal requirements and conditions that you must abide by when touring the premises. The final twenty pages must be signed and returned back to me by tomorrow morning in order for you to be eligible for the trip.”
Mr. Harrington droned on the background, probably talking about important things but Peter couldn’t help himself. After the decathlon trip last year, Tony had officially invited Peter to work as in intern at S.I, and now they were going there on a field trip!? It made him feel uneasy at the least.
While Peter was pretty much considered a loser at Midtown, S.I. was the one place where he felt like he could truly be himself. Walking through the winding hallways with a an electronic Stark-Pad, checking in on ongoing research and striking up a conversation with anyone he pleased.
Something about the atmosphere just cracked open his nervous exterior and let his sunshine-personality yolk out. Maybe it’s because he wasn’t just ‘Peter Parker: The Orphan’, he was ‘Peter Parker: Beloved Employee and Tony’s Favorite Intern’.
The bell rang again, signalling the end of homeroom. Peter jolted in his chair, and let out a huff. Guess I zoned out again. This happens every time I try and work on a project with Mr. Stark, I thought I would’ve learned my lesson by now. He hurriedly made to pack up his supplies and the weighty stack of forms.
“Don’t forget everyone, those forms are due back tomorrow sharp!”. Mr. Harrington called out while grabbing a coffee mug and heading out the door.
Ned sidled up to Peter, “Dude, we gotta hurry if we want to make it to Physics, you know how Ms. Warren ge-” Before he could finish his sentence, Flash bounded up to the pair with a smarmy expression.
“Hey! Penis Parker, we’ll be seeing all of your lies unravel next week, huh?” Flash leaned forward and dropped his voice low, “Guess it’s just like an orphan to make up pathetic stories to make himself feel better.” he said mockingly. “That’s so hilarious I bet everyone- Hey!”
M.J. set down the textbook she had just smacked on the shorter boy’s shoulder and held a palm up to his face. “Flash, if I were you I’d keep to myself for the next week. Wouldn’t want to get yet another detention for harassment now would we?”
Flash held a wide-eyed and mouth half-open expression for a second, rolling his eyes and scoffing as he turned towards the doorway. “Yeah whatever, M.J.. I’ll see you losers at Decathlon practice or whatever.”
Peter smiled at M.J., “Thanks for that, I’ve been trying to just ignore him, but it hasn’t really been working.” He placed a hand awkwardly on her shoulder for a second. The brunet gave her it half-squeeze paired with what looked to be a grimace-smile before returning his scarred hands back into the safety of his pockets and shrugging.
“No problem, Peter, I hate that guy anyway. His face is practically frozen in that smug look and there’s only so much artistic liberty I can take without good source material.” She flicked through her sketchpad for a moment before holding up a page to the other two. “See? It just doesn’t feel right, somethings off.”
The page had several sketches of Flash and the rest of the Decathlon team at one of their earliest competitions. The first and last time the team had ever lost so hopelessly. M.J. bad sketched the team with matching weary expressions and downturned frowns. But Flash, well be still had a
gloating smirk from his position in the standby seat by Mr. Harrington.
“Oh yeah, I totally see what you mean.” Ned nodded and began toward the door. “I mean like, what is Flash’s problem anyway?” M.J. and Peter followed suit. “Whatever, I’m more intrigued about the freaking field trip! Seriously, I cannot believe it.”
Ned shook his friend’s shoulder with newfound enthusiasm. “You’re totally gonna give us a private tour too, Peter? I need to see where Captain America tests out his shields!” His childlike manners brought a smile to Peter’s face and all the Flash drama was forgotten. The trio continued through the halls to their next class, chatting about what the trip may have in store.