Peter & Bucky Are Pals

Chapter 4

The Five Times Peter Got Help With Schoolwork and The One Time It Was Done For Him

Peter," Tony said, waiting until Peter had a mouthful of potatoes. "I got a call from your school today."

Peter almost choked. Clint thumped his back sympathetically as he coughed.

"What?" he wheezed, his eyes watering. "I haven't gotten detention this month."

"Good for you," Steve said, smiling. Pepper frowned.

"No. Well, yes, but he shouldn't ever be getting detention."

"Your standards are too high," said Clint. Pepper flicked his ear, and he yelped.

"Anyway," Tony said. "They were wondering why we haven't signed up for any parent-teacher conferences."

"Conferences?" Natasha suddenly looked interested. "I'll go."

"I want to go!" Clint said.

"I'd like to go," said Steve.

"I'm going." Tony crossed his arms. Peter hid behind his hands.

"Peter?" Steve prompted.

"I knew this would happen," Peter mumbled.

"So you conveniently forgot to tell us?"

"No... Maybe."

"Why?" Tony asked.

"I dunno." Peter fixed his gaze firmly on his potatoes.

"You don't want them to embarrass you," Bucky said. Peter's silence was his downfall.

"We're not embarrassing!" Clint exclaimed. "We're super cool!"

"I'd be embarrassed by Clint too," Natasha said. "But he's not going, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Hey! I'm totally-"

"You're not going," said Pepper. "Tony and Steve are going, because even though Natasha and Bucky would do a better job, Tony and Steve are insufferable idiots who can't stand the thought of missing out on something fairly trivial in the scheme of things."

"Conferences aren't trivial!" Tony argued. "They're very important. Peter agrees."

"Don't form Peter's opinions for him," Pepper scolded. "He's at an impressionable age."

"I'm not impressionable," Peter said.

"Yes you are," everyone chorused.

"Fine," Peter sighed. "Just... don't go all... y'know."

"We'll behave," Steve promised. Tony held up his hands.

"Don't put words in my mouth, Steve."

"Yeah, he's at an impressionable age," Clint said. Tony sulked as everyone laughed at him.

"Whatever. I scheduled conferences with your chemistry teacher and your history teacher for tomorrow afternoon. You'd better patch up your selective memory, kid."