teamironmanforever:
Undercover AU where Peter and Tony have to pretend they are father and son and that cements their relationship so that when the mission is over, they are super close and they have both accepted their roles in each other’s lives so they don’t sweat it anymore when people think them father and son.
The first time Peter calls Tony ‘dad’, he’s staring into a mirror in one of SI’s ridiculously shiny, private bathrooms and he’s trying very hard to not stumble over the word. Or blush. Or squeak. Or do any of the other numerous, highly embarrassing things he is liable to do when in close proximity to Mr Stark.
It takes seventeen attempts before Peter feels half-way secure in his role, but with only FRIDAY as his witness, he doesn’t mind too much.
Unsurprisingly, the practice turns out to be useless. The first time he mumbles “Thanks dad,” out loud, in front of Mr Stark, addressing Mr Stark, he’s just lucky Mr Stark paid him a compliment, so his stupidly bright blush isn’t totally out of place.
*
It gets easier though. Actually, Peter thinks he’s really getting the hang of this undercover secret identity stuff that’s way less exciting than he expected.
Mostly, he just spends a lot of time living with Mr Stark in an airy apartment that has the greatest movie selection ever (and there are so many Mr Stark has to see too, Peter has a list of the absolute Must Have’s – and it’s not like Mr Stark’s usual excuse of being too busy works at the moment, so Peter is rightfully optimistic.)
Calling Mr Stark ‘dad’ becomes easier the more Peter does it. It helps that Mr Stark does all kinds of parent stuff, like asking where Peter goes, when he’ll be home, wanting to know about school, grounding him for sneaking into their target’s office and placing a bug to speed things along after he notices the way Mr Stark keeps glancing at news reports on Miss Potts, regular stuff like that.
Of course, just when Peter has almost gotten used to the quiet life of Tony and Peter Henrikson, the mission goes sideways as usual. And suddenly, Peter is a lot more concerned about ducking bullets and getting Mr Stark and the stupid memory stick out of there, and a lot less concerned about how natural it feels to yell, “Get the hell away from my dad!”
They (Peter and Mr Stark, not the memory stick, but that’s alright because Mr Stark’s memory is awesome) make it out alive, and that’s all that matters in the end.
That and the way Mr Stark ruffles Peter’s hair and says, “Great job, kiddo.”
*
With their mission over, things go back to the way they’ve always been. Peter is back at school, back at Aunt May’s, back to being Peter Parker. Mr Stark is back to, well, being Mr Stark.
And Peter is maybe a little sad about not getting around to watching Matrix with Mr Stark on a very comfortable couch with buttered popcorn, but he’s missed his friends and his aunt, and it’s alright. He sees the way Mr Stark hugs Miss Potts and that’s even better.
Besides Peter may be young, but he can be a professional. He spent three hours convincing Mr Stark of that to be a part of that mission, he’s not screwing that up now.
The world is safe, Mr Stark is proud of him, and Aunt May hasn’t killed him for missing almost two months of school, so all in all Peter is pretty damn happy with how things have turned out.
*
Following her boss’ return from his latest mission, FRIDAY notices numerous anomalies in her boss’ and Mr Parker’s behaviour.
She notices that Mr Parker hugs her boss in greeting and goodbye without hesitation. She further notices that her boss does not reject the gesture and instead returns it.
If that was the only change, FRIDAY would have dismissed it. But they are accompanied by increased contact between her boss and Mr Parker – regular phone calls, increased and more prolonged visits – as well as a sudden tendency of Mr Parker to seek her boss’ advice in a way he hasn’t before. She compares the relevant data, of course, and the differences in their behavioural patterns are statistically significant.
FRIDAY does not understand these differences. She does not understand why Mr Parker’s number has been added to the list of the come first, always immediately to be answered calls, nor does she understand why her boss demands to be informed immediately on any news regarding Spiderman activities.
But FRIDAY learns. And so she adds Mr Parker’s relevant dates to her boss’ calendar, sets the proper reminders, keeps watch on the public opinion of Spiderman, and adds the relevant emergency contacts to Mr Parker’s phone.
(Still, FRIDAY is relieved when her boss finally clarifies on the nature of his and Mr Parker’s relationship – the words, “You did not just threaten my kid. I know you didn’t.” and a flattened illegal lab have made the point quite clearly.
It resolves her indecision on what to do about the invitation to the parents’ day at Mr Parker’s school next week. She clears her boss’ schedule immediately.)
@teamironmanforever I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist!
C.A. Jacobs
C.A. Jacobs 