I'm Always A Text Away -- Peter Parker Texting Story

five

TONY WATCHED THE KID AS THEY reached the compound, Morgan bouncing excitedly in the seat between them. Peter stared at the compound, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, like it was the first time he'd ever seen it in his life. 

Tony would've thought that, but then he noticed the boy's eyes glistened with unshed tears. 

He awkwardly cleared his throat. "You okay, kid?" 

Peter's head jerked in Tony's direction and he quickly blinked his eyes, pushing the tears back. "Oh, yeah," he stammered. "I'm fine. Yeah..." 

"Uncle Happy!" Morgan shrieked as Happy opened the door. "You have to play princess with me, remember? Let's go!!" 

She climbed over Tony's lap and jumped out of the car, grabbing Happy's hand and pulling him to the elevator. 

Tony glanced at Peter. "Let's go," he said, unbuckling his seat belt. Peter did the same and ducked his head as he stepped out of the car, lips pressed together.

They went up the elevator and weaved their way through the maze of hallways; surprisingly, there wasn't any hesitation in Peter's step. It was like he was in his element, knowing exactly where he was going. 

No, not knowing. Muscle memory. 

Tony's eyebrows scrunched together as he frowned slightly. "Okay, over here," he said, quickly punching in a code to his lab. As he did so, he quickly typed in a command: 4219.

Code 4219—otherwise known as Don't Let the Sharks Eat Baby Stark Protocol—was a protocol which Tony made to keep Morgan safe in a room, doors and windows locked, in case any bad guys came. 

Tony was enforcing it now because he wanted to make sure Peter wouldn't run off. Not a good plan on his part, but he was curious. And not only that, no one would be able to hear them talking; so if Peter did have anything to share, it would only go to Tony's ears. 

They stepped into Tony's lab and Peter immediately scanned the place, his breaths seeming to tremble. 

"Sit down, Mr. Parker," Tony said, his tone lighthearted. He pulled up two chairs, passing by his bulletin board, filled with Morgan's drawings. When Peter passed it, he stopped and stared at the bulletin board for a long time. 

"Peter?" Tony asked, and Peter quickly glanced at him, pulled out of his thoughts. 

"Right, sorry." Peter nervously sat down, his knee bobbing as he waited for Tony to speak. "So...what did you want to talk about, Mr. Stark?" 

"Your suit." Tony leaned back and wiggled his eyebrows. "Pretty impressive. Not something you'd make just from a sewing machine, huh?" 

Peter stayed silent. 

Tony leaned forward, elbows against his knees. "Listen, kid," he said gently. "I know Stark technology when I see it. I could recognize it anywhere. Did I really make this suit for you?"

Peter let out a huge breath and met his eyes. Tony was surprised to see the sadness and determination in them, which was, honestly, a really weird combination. But the weirdest part? 

He felt some sort of deja-vu. He had seen those eyes before sometime in his life, those brown eyes filled with those exact emotions.

"It's not fair...I mean, I get why people don't want me in MIT, but what did my friends do?" 

"Well...did I?" Tony asked again, voice soft, trying his best not to scare away the kid. 

But Peter abruptly shot up and shook his head. "No," he said. "No, I can't do this, Mr. Stark. Just...please, let it alone. I'm not even Spider-Man anymore, it doesn't even matter. I'm not even going to do anything stupid with it, either. I'm just a kid trying to get his GED's done so that I can get into a good enough university." 

"Peter—"

"No!" he said, louder now. "I'm so tired, Mr. Stark. I've sacrificed everything. Aunt May died just because I thought I could make the world better. But I can't! I can't! Everything I do somehow messes the universe up, and I won't do that again. I made everyone forget so that..." 

"So what?" Tony breathed. 

"So their lives can work out the way they're supposed to." Tears lined the edge of the boy's, and Tony's heart clenched. "Mr. Stark...I can't let it happen again. And I'm fine with living alone, I'm managing it, I can do it. I just can't ruin their lives anymore." 

He pushed back the chair gently and made his way to the door, Tony waiting for him to realize it was locked and wouldn't be unlocked until Tony gave his word. 

Peter touched the knob and twisted it, and approximately two seconds later realized it was locked. 

Tony waited for him to turn back around, to demand for the door to open, but what happened next surprised Tony very much. 

"Friday?" he called out. "Override code 4219, Don't Let the Sharks Eat Baby Stark protocol." 

With shock on his face, Tony watched Peter Parker walk out the door. 

Words: 820

Well, yeah, that happened! 

Who liked the protocol name, lol? 

I'm going to go and work on chapter six now, bye!! 

See you in the next chapter <3 

Haidlyn <3