Suck It Up (Peter Parker/Irondad)

4

I looked up at the tower, terrified. I felt seriously underdressed. Everyone around me was wearing a back suit, dress, or anything formal. I pretty sure one of my cuts reopened as well, so that's great. I shrug on my sweatshirt to cover any bloodstains and I walk through the revolving door. I try not to limp, but between the stab wound, it being broken two days ago, and my lack of super healing, it's making it kinda hard.

"Hello there! Are you the new intern, Peter Parker?" A nice woman at the front desk greets me.

"U-uh" I debated wether or not I should speak. She'll probably think I'm annoying, too.

"Hello?"

"Oh! Uh, s-sorry, I just-" I sigh at my inability to speak English. "Yes, I'm Peter Parker from Midtown High."

She looks taken aback. "Oh! I thought we were recruiting from a university." She mumbles quietly. "Anyways, I'm Lilian Grazer." She hands me a red badge. "There's your intern badge. Ms Jane Foster will show you to your office." She says with a smile.

"Okay! Thank you, Mrs. Grazer!" I said excitedly.

"Excuse me, are you Peter Parker?"

I turn to see a brunette with dark eyeliner.

"I- uh- yes!" I squeak out. God, I'm probably annoying her, too. "Are you Ms. Foster?"

She nods with a smile and gestures for her to follow me into the elevator. "Twelfth floor." She says. I'm confused for a moment, but then realize it's probably a voice activated thing. The doors slide open to reveal a wide, short hallway with two glass labs on wither side of the opening where you can see scientists working. The short hallway ends and we go the the left, ignoring the right and the huge, collective workstation at the end of the room.

"Sorry, kiddo. You're not allowed to work in the labs. Too young."

My face drops, but soon lightens up when I see my office. I have a view of the city in a huge glass wall, a computer, a desk, some cabinets, some modern decorations and a rollie chair! Ms. Foster notices an chuckles.

"Your job is to deliver coffee, send orders to import needed supplies, and write the summaries for the weapons on display."

I nod. "Okay. Am I allowed to do homework if I have free time?"

"Yes, of course."

"Okay! Thank you Ms. Foster!"

She chuckles as she makes her way out the door. She smile and waves warmly and I do the same. I sigh contentedly and drop my backpack on the floor looking around. I plop down in my rollie chair and spun around until I heard a notification on my phone.

Unknown
6 black coffees from Ally's. 89th floor.

Peter Parker
Oh! Okay!

Unknown
You do not need to respond until the task is done.

I was about to respond with a 'my bad' or 'sorry' but decided against it. I walked to the stairs since I didn't feel like having any awkward silences in the elevator. I reached the front desk on the first floor and smiled at Ms. Grazer.

"Do you need help with anything?" She asked politely.

"Uh, yeah. Do you know where Amy's is? I'm supposed to get coffee from there." I responded.

"Yes! Go right until that intersection, then go left and it's the third one from the corner."

"Oh! I almost forgot." She handed me a black card. "Here's your card you use. It all goes to the company."

I smiled. "Alright, thank you Mrs. Grazer!" I thanked her as I walked away, determined to not mess up. I followed her directions and it lead me to a tiny coffee shop. Huh. I would've expected something huge or fancy. I'm not complaining, though. I take a deep breath, trying to prepare myself for way too much social interaction, and wince when my ribs protest. Ignoring the pain, I push through the doors and force a smile. The barista smiles back at me and gestures to the counter.

"Hello, welcome to Amy's! I'm Chelsey (what's your favorite dinner food), what can I do for ya?" She greeted.

"U-uh h-hi." She giggled at my stuttering. "C-can I please g-get six r-regular black c-coffees to go?" I managed, handing her the black card.

She swiped and returned the card. "Yes, of course. Under what name?" She hovered a sharpie over a cup.

"U-uh P-Peter." I smiled awkwardly.

"Okie dokie, your order will be on the counter on your left!" She pointed to her right.

I nodded a thanks and made my way to where she pointed. I stood against the wall with my hands in my pockets, trying to not disturb anyone. Not long after, a worker yelled, "Six black coffees for Peter Parker?" Dang, that was fast.

"Y-yes, sir. That's me." I grabbed two cup holder trays and started putting them in with the worker helping me. Four cups went on the bottom tray, and the top tray, stacked on the coffee below, held two cups diagonal opposite to each other. Gravity was not going to ruin my day today. I thanked the worker and set back out into the world.

Since I had the coffees, I was kinda forced to use the elevator. Thankfully, I don't know how, but there wasn't anyone in there. I stepped into the futuristic looking box. "Uh, floor 89?" I said to the ceiling.

An automated voice replied, "It looks like you are not authorized on that level."

I panicked. Well, what now? "I, uh, was assigned to deliver coffee there." I gesture to the coffee with my head. "I also have a text. Don't know who sent it, but I know it was someone from the office." I pulled out my phone and showed it to the ceiling.

"Okay, Peter Parker. You can call me Friday." The elevator started going up (on a Tuesday). After a moment, it spoke again, "Sir, you appear to have bruises on your forearms and abdomen, five broken ribs, a black eye, a bruised jaw, severe cuts on the front of your body, glass shards in your forehead, forearms, thighs and abdomen, a broken leg, and a stab wound on the same one. It also appears that you are on the brink of starvation. Would you like me to send medical help?"

"NO! I mean- no, thank you."

"Would you like me to send Mr. Stark?"

"What? Uh, no, definitely not." That would be bad.

"Sir, you are in critical condition, I am required to get help if you do not." The AI pressed.

"I will go the the hospital after this!" I lie. Hah. Like I could afford that. She seemed to accept my answer, because the doors opened to reveal a lab. Not just any lab, though. Blue holograms filled the room, desks of blueprints and tools scattered the place. I was in awe at the sight of it. I assumed that I would just place the trays down on the desk, seeing as there seemed to be no one there. As I was placing them down, I looked at the equations on the board. I noticed that one was wrong, but didn't want to touch anything. "Uh, Mrs. Friday? Can you please tell the owner of the lab that this equation is wrong when they get back?" I pointed to an equation on the board,

"Of course, sir." She responded.

"You can call me Peter."

"Of course Peter."

I smiled and thanked the AI, "Thanks, Mrs. Friday!" I walked back into the elevator. This was going to be a good day.

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