A New Home (2.0)

Chapter Eleven:

Peter is buzzing with either anxiety or excitement, possibly both, as the final bell of the day rings. He rushes to his locker, where he meets his best friend every day after school. Soon enough, Peter spots Ned walking toward him, an smile on his face. 

"Hey, Ned! You ready to go?" His best friend nods, and they make their way to the front exit. They walk across the parking lot, and soon enough Peter sees the same silver Honda from this morning in the distance. He stops in his tracks, his phone buzzing in his pocket. "Just a second." He mumbles, then reads the message. 

Mr. Stark: Hey kid. Happy called in sick, so Pep and I are picking you up. Thought you'd like a heads up.

Peter doesn't answer the text, and slides his phone back into his pocket. If he wasn't anxious before, he is now. He'd been hoping to have at least a little time to explain a few things before Ned met Tony. But apparently that's not happening. Oh well. 

He motions for Ned to follow him.

"Can you just do me a favor?" Peter asks his best friend once they reach the car.

"Yeah, sure." 

"Just... don't freak out." Before Ned can give an answer, the tinted driver's side window comes down to reveal none other than Tony stark. Pepper Potts sits in the passenger's seat, reading a file of some sort. 

"Hey guys. Climb in back and we can get outta here." Tony motions to the back seat, trying to shrug off the kid's shocked expression, a complete contrast to Peter's exhausted look. Peter silently ushers Ned into the back seat before climbing in after him. Once they're on their way to the tower, Ned finally remembers how to speak. 

"You're Tony Stark..." 

"Yep." Tony answers.

"Like the Tony Stark." 

"You bet. " Tony answers again, keeping his eyes on the road. "So, Pete, how much does your friend know?"

"I... uh... nothin' really. I was plannin' on explaining it all when we got home..."

"I'm okay with that. Like I said, it's all your decision, kid." Tony answers with a grin. To anyone else in the car, it may just seem like another smile. But it was more than that. The fact that Peter used the word 'home'. 

It's a good feeling. 

"Okay... so I'm literally sitting in the penthouse of Stark Tower, with my best friend, while Tony Stark and Pepper Potts cook dinner in the next room. Peter i know I'm in fanboy mode, but an explanation would be nice." 

The two boys are currently sitting in the living area, a lego set on the table between them.

"Ned, you can't tell anyone. I mean anyone. Do you understand?" 

"Yeah, I understand." Ned leans forward in anticipation. Peter honestly thought Ned would've figured it out by now- but in his defense, he did just meet a literal superhero. Peter probably wouldn't be able to think straight either. "Peter can you please tell me what's going on?"

The teen then proceeds to tell Ned everything that's happened over the past three months. His mother's death, Tony being his father, the move to New York, all of it. Ned stayed silent for the majority of Peter's rant, just sitting in shock as he listens to Peter's story. 

When it's all over and said, Ned is ready to go into major fanboy mode. Complete with about 10,000 questions about what it's like to have Ironman as a dad. But it doesn't take a genius to see that that's the exact opposite of what his friend needs right now.  So all he says, is: 

"Okay. Cool." 

"That's it? That's all you're gonna say?" Peter asks anxiously. 

"I mean it's insanely cool that you know Tony Stark, but this Lego Death Star isn't going to build itself. This is a lot of pieces in not a lot of time." Peter can't help but laugh, and they get to work. Things were going great, and all Peter was hoping for was that it stayed that way.

Tony could hear the two boys in the living room, laughing and goofing off. Despite knowing they're okay, Tony consistently went and checked on them. More specifically, Peter. 

He's incredibly protective over the kid, and for some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong. After about Tony's fourth or fifth time checking in on them, Pepper dragged him back into the kitchen, a smile on her lips. 

"Tony, I promise, they're okay. Peter is literally just in the other room. He's fine. He's happy. So please stop worrying." 

"I can't help it, Pep. Something is going to go wrong. Something always goes wrong. Nothing in my life ever goes this well. Nothing. I give it thirty seconds before-"

Tony's mini-rant is cut short, by the ding of the elevator and two voices speaking at the same time.

"Tones?"

"Mr. Stark..." 

Stark stumbles into the living room, in a panic. Pepper follows right on his heels, and both of them feel nothing but relief when they see it's only Rhodey. 

"Don't scare me like that." Tony says, sighing. 

"Sorry, Tones. I just came to check up on you... you seemed a little off at the meeting today. But now I'm more interested in that fact that you have two teenagers building with Legos and watching Star Wars in your living room." 

Tony looks to Peter and Ned, to see the two have fallen completely silent. Their geeky chattering has stopped, and now they just listen. He expects Peter to maybe stay silent, or panic, or any other reaction that what he gets. Peter stands and strides over to Rhodey, and stands, hand extended. 

"I'm Peter Parker, sir. It's nice to meet you." The teen says, flashing his adorable country boy smile.

"James Rhodes... a friend of Tony's." Rhodey pauses, shaking the kid's hand. "I don't want to sound rude, but... why are you here?"

"That's a rather long story, Mr. Rhodes sir. One I think Mr. Stark might have an easier time explainin'..." Peter looks to Tony, then: "But I'm his son." 

Rhodey laughs for a moment, before realizing no one is laughing with him. 

"Um... Tones? Could I speak with you for a minute?" Rhodey asks, but doesn't wait before walking into the other room. Tony follows.

"Let me explain-" 

"YOU HAVE A KID??"

"Yeah, well-"

"Why didn't you tell me?!? I'm your best friend, Tones. This is something you should've told me! I can't believe-"

"Rhodey! Calm down and let me explain!" Tony nearly shouts, and his friend complies. Rhodey listens, and Tony does exactly as he said he would. He explains. 

Hiii!!

So the next chapter is gonna be up in a little bit, definitely within the next hour. It's just about ready, only a few final edits.

I love all of you so much, and thank you for sticking with me. It means so much. ❤❤❤

Much love,

Nat