Driving

Don't misunderstand him: Peter loved when Happy escorted him around in his bullet-proof, black car. But when Mr. Stark drove? Man, sitting next to him in the latest luxury sports car with the top down and the music blasting AC/DC was like a new definition of awesome. And in case you're wondering: of course the mentor had a matching pair of Ray-Ban's in the glove compartment for his mentee.

The two were whipping around curves and speeding down highways toward the Avengers' compound in New York. It was summer, and spending time with Mr. Stark was always an adventure even without a mission to think about. The wind rustled Peter's hair, and he stuck his hand over the door to feel the air current as they drove. Peter smiled. It didn't get much better than this.

Before long, the two had pulled up to the giant garage of the compound, and Stark parked the car. Before getting out of the car, Tony asked, "So, what do you think? This was its first real ride."

"The car? Aw, Mr. Stark, it was awesome. Perfect. You always pick the best cars," Peter replied, truly amazed.

Tony chuckled. The kid's enthusiasm never ceased. After spending time with Parker, he always saw the world a little bit differently. A little bit brighter, he had to admit.

Peter continued, "It's so cool and I'm, like, only a passenger. I can't even imagine what it's like to actually drive one of these." He shook his head and looked across the garage.

"I didn't know you wanted to drive," Tony said honestly. "Here," Tony tossed the keys to the kid. He was what, fifteen? If he could stop a crashing car with his bare hands then he could definitely drive one.

Peter caught the keys, his jaw dropping in disbelief. Drive a car? This car?! Mr. Stark had just said that it was brand new! "I-I, it-, the car," Peter stammered. When the experienced driver had gotten out of his seat and walked around to Peter's side, he finally got the words out: "But I don't know how to drive." He jumped over the door to get out and stood before Mr. Stark, offering the keys back to the owner.

"No one taught you how to drive?" Tony learned how to drive when he was about thirteen. Ever the mechanic, he was pretty sure that he was building his own car engines and testing different fuels by the time he was Parker's age.

"Well, Uncle Ben said he would show me but..." Peter trailed off at the end, looking down at the ground.

Tony's heart dropped. The kid's energy when he was excited could power the Iron Man suit for a flight to the moon and back. But when visible, the weight of Peter's depression was like having the entire ocean planted on his chest. Impossible to breathe.

Tony pushed the keys back. Putting a hand on the kid's shoulder and guiding him to the driver's side, Tony said firmly, "I'll teach you."

And just like that, the ocean of anguish was swept away.

Don't misunderstand him: Tony Stark loved to drive. He had a collection of cars because he genuinely liked them and he was fortunate enough to afford them. But sitting in the passenger seat and teaching this kid to drive? Like doing everything else with Pete, it was an opportunity to experience an everyday task with fresh eyes and an open mind. Whether they were standing on rooftops in the city, working in the lab, or driving a steady seven miles per hour, it was always an adventure. Tony used to wonder what it would be like to teach his own son how to drive. Unsurprisingly, this was better than he imagined.

"Mr. Stark, what if I accidentally crash the car?"

"You won't." The kid's reflexes were way too fast.

"But-but, it's brand new and what if‒"

"If we get hit, the car is the last thing on my mind." If they got hit badly, Tony would make sure that the kid was on the first ambulance.

Taking laps by the Tarmac used for the jets, they did left turns, right turns, reverse, and even some parallel parking. Stark knew the kid was brilliant and a fast learner with quick reflexes, but he also seemed so comfortable in the driver's seat. A natural. By the end of the afternoon, they were speeding down the runways at eighty miles per hour.

"Mr. Stark, that was awesome! It was way better than I thought it would be!" Peter exclaimed, practically jumping out of his shoes on the walk back to the lab.

Stark laughed. "Yeah, you know, you're so good, I think you're ready to advance to the next step."

"Oh, yeah? What's that, Mr. Stark?"

"The quinjet!"