~Iron Family~

Trick or Treat, Smell This Meat

Over the next few weeks, Peter developed a kind of routine.

He'd be driven to school by Happy in the morning, meeting up with Ned and going through the usual school day. Once promised his dessert, Happy had delayed picking Peter up from school by two hours while feeding Mr. Stark the story that Peter had joined band again.

In reality, he was swinging around the city and stopping crime.

He'd stopped by Gwen Stacy's house and picked up his suit as soon as possible, and this time he got to see her suit she'd been working on. It was nice--not a copy of his at all. Hers had a hood and she was planning on using teal ballet shoes.

"I just love dancing," she'd explained with a wistful smile. "I don't think I could live without it. You ever get that feeling?"

Peter had nodded, thinking of his patrols.

She wasn't ready to go swinging, however, as she had yet to build herself a pair of webshooters and get over her fear of heights. Peter had arranged for her to come to the compound the day before Halloween for some "tutoring."

When Happy escorted her in, Peter didn't think her grin could get any bigger.

"This place is so cool!" she cheered, taking a picture in awe.

"No flash photography," Mr. Stark called from the conference desk where he was helping Morgan put together her Halloween costume.

"Oh, I'm just taking a picture for my dad, sir!" she said, extending her hand. "I'm Gwen Stacy. It's nice to meet you, sir!"

Tony shook her hand and gave a nod. "And you as well. Got a firm grip there. Pete, this your girlfriend?"

Gwen snorted with laughter and covered her mouth with her hand.

"No!" Peter yelled. "I--I mean, this is Gwen, not--not the girl I was telling you about. We're just friends. I'm helping her with..."

He gave her a pointed look.

"Robotics," Gwen stated firmly, as if she had recited this. "He's helping me with my robotics class."

Tony's eyebrows rose, and Peter was just thankful she hadn't said English. He was terrible at that subject--Mr. Stark might test him or something.

Just then, Harley walked in.

"Hey, Tony, do you know where the--" He stopped in his tracks when he saw Gwen, and he gave a nervous little wave. "H--hello..."

"Hi..." Gwen smiled uncertainly. "Well, should we go upstairs to the lab?"

Harley was still staring like an idiot, but Peter led the way up the steps.

"FRIDAY, turn off surveillance," Peter declared to the thin air. "Please loop the video of me and Gwen reading, sometimes reverse it."

"Right away, Tiny Tony."

Gwen jumped. "Is that voice coming from the walls?!"

Peter grinned. "Yup."

"Woah. That's cool. I was expecting that sort of technology for Stark Industries, but I thought they could do a little better than Siri."

"I'm not Siri," FRIDAY announced. "I am FRIDAY, Female Replacement Intelligent Digital Assistant Youth."

"Replacement?" Gwen wrinkled her nose.

"It's a long story," Peter explained with a chuckle. "Well, should we get started?"

***