Upside-Down

Chapter 11

Tony paces through his room a few hours after Peter demoed his suit. He should of seen this coming. Of course Cap would want to use the kid.

He runs his hands through his hair, mind racing. How soon would Peter think he's ready? If he had known how good the kid was- good enough to impress frick'n Captain America. And himself. He can't say he was expecting the kid to be this good.

His phone buzzes in his pocket, and Friday chimes, "Happy is calling you again, Boss." Tony nods. He half doesn't want to answer. Happy had been texting and calling all day, wondering how Peter was doing.

He picks up the phone and presses the answer button. "Hey Happy."

"I'm sorry to bug you, Tony, but how's Peter's arm? Is he mad at me?"

"He's been acting like he doesn't even have a cast. I think its already healed."

"How-?"

"You didn't know?" this actually surprises Tony. He had assumed Happy had known. Probably because he had also assumed May had.

"I didn't know what?"

"Peter has some... abilities. He'll be fine." He tries to gloss this over. Peter should be the one to tell Happy.

"Is that all you're gonna say about that?"

"Yes my dear Forehead of Security. How are you enjoying the Happymobile?" Tony quickly changes the subject.

"Its nice, sir."

"Glad to hear it!" There is an awkward pause, and after a moment Tony ends it. "I've gotta go Happy. The kid needs some school stuff for tomorrow."

"Okay... keep me posted about him, alright?"
"Of course." Tony presses the red button, and puts the phone back in his pocket. He hopes the kid's stuff has arrived.

As he retrieves the boxes from downstairs, he passes Cap in the hall. Neither of them say anything. He knocks on the door to the kids room, hefting the boxes between his hands while he waits. "Hey kid? Can you open the door? This stuff isn't exactly light."

After a moment the door opens. "I'm sorry Mr. Stark, I couldn't hear your knock- whoa! That's a lot of boxes!"

"Yeah kid. Help me set them down." Tony can see what the kid had been busy with. It seems one of the Maximoffs had brought Peter some posters. "I see your making yourself at home?"

"Oh, yeah Mr. Stark. Mr. Rodgers said it was okay."

"It is, don't worry. That's actually what some of these boxes are." Peter seems to recognize a few of them  now, from his storage unit.

"Oh! Thanks Mr. Stark!"

"Yeah I also got you some new stuff... to help explain your absence." Tony  motions toward a box with STARK INDUSTRIES plastered on the side.

Peter opens a box to reveal a heap of stuff, mostly Star Wars related, from his room in his old apartment. It had been pretty cluttered then, but his new room was substantially larger.

"Do you want any help setting this stuff up?"

"It's okay, Mr. Stark, I'm sure you're busy."

"Nah kid, I was done for the day when I got to the Tower."

For the next hour, the pair set up Peter's new room, putting up Star Wars posters and filling the empty shelves. "Hey Mr. Stark?" Peter asks after a few minutes. "Did you see a cat there?"

There was a mention of this cat again. Tony wonders what it is. "I saw an orange and white one in the street."

"That's not Fish," Peter mutters.

After another thirty minutes the boxes have all been emptied, except for the Stark Industries box.

"What's in there Mr. Stark?" Tony doesn't answer, he just pulls open the box, and a few smaller boxes out of it.

"A Stark Phone? And a laptop?" Peter says in astonishment. "These are the best ones out there!"

"It'll help explain why you haven't responded to your friend's texts. You lost your phone your first day in LA. I gave you a replacement. The laptop is for work... mostly. Do what ever you want with it otherwise. Its got enough memory to last a life time."

"There is also some Stark merch, a T-Shirt, a hat. A nice suit to wear to wherever I take my Intern. For meetings and stuff."

"Thanks so much Mr. Stark!"

"Don't sweat it kid, its the least I can do."

"Why?" Peter asks after a moment. "I haven't done anything for you."

"Yeah you have!" Tony ruffles Peter's hair. "You gave me a sidekick. An apprentice. Your gonna do great things kid."

Peter looks mystified, but after a moment, he grins. "Thanks for everything Mr. Stark."

"No problem. If you need anything, just ask. By the way, let me take off that cast. It doesn't seem like you need it."

"Oh..." Peter rolls up the sleeve of his sweatshirt to reveal a bare arm. I already did. There was a button... so I pressed. I was going to put it back on, but my arm seemed fine."

"You said you had a minor healing factor?" Tony snorts. He puts the boxes into a pile and picks them up. "I got to go Pete. Its late. You have school in the morning." he moves toward the door, then he pauses, remembering something.

"Hey, I found this in the storage unit." He pulls an IPhone 8 out of his pocket and tosses it to Peter. He catches it with one hand, barely looking.

"Good night Spiderling. You're gonna be great." He walks out the door.

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So this chapter was shorter. But two in a day! That's nice!

Thank you all! :)

Have a good day!