How'd You Get This Number? (ON HIATUS)

The Plan

Tuesday

3rd POV

Peter made a very thorough plan about what he was going to say as he walked towards the subway. Panic! at the Disco was blasting through his cheap earbuds, but they were just background music for him while he focused on his plan. He worked out every little detail for what he wanted to say to them.

He sat down in the bus heading for Manhattan. He didn't have much money, but he had just enough to get to where he needed to go.

He spent the time with his head in his hands, trying to memorize every line. He pictured each scene in his mind, and he muttered every line, including the lines of others.

"Your impersonations are very funny, Peter." His head shot up. He didn't realize that people could actually hear him.

"W-who said that...?" he whispered.

"Peter, I hear and record everything that goes on, don't you remember?" he looked down at his watch.

"Oh, Karen... Wait- everything...?" He had forgotten that he had installed her in his watch/web shooter.

"Of course. By the way, I think your plan is going to work out great." she said in a reassuring voice. He smiled at that.

"I sure hope so." he sighed.

Ding!

The doors slid open for those needing to get off, Peter being one of them.

He took a deep breath, and muted Karen in case she ever blurted out something Mr. Stark didn't need to know.

He stepped out of the bus and made his way up the stairs. He took out his old iPhone 4 and set up the directions to Stark Tower.

He followed the map, and he made it there in less than ten minutes.

He took another big breath and pushed the cursed revolving door, only getting his foot stuck for a minute. Three less than last time, so that was a good accomplishment.

He walked up to the front desk lady and waited patiently for her to notice him. It wasn't the same one from last time. This one was a middle-aged woman with blonde hair and thick cat-eye glasses.

"H-hi, I'm here to see Mr. Stark. I- I have an internship." She raised her eyebrows and looked at him with an unamused expression.

"Internship? Where's your badge?"

"I- I wasn't given one."

"How old are you, kid?" she asked.

"F-fifteen, ma'am." he was now getting nervous. She leaned in closer.

"Fifteen. How stupid do you think I am? Only college-aged kids can apply for an internship here, and they work on the low-level floors. Mr. Stark couldn't care less about them, why in the world would he have a high schooler as an intern, nonetheless as a personal intern? Hm?"

"I- I-" She leaned back in her seat.

"That's what I thought. Scram before I call security."

"Please, ma'am. I have to see Mr. Stark. He knows me. Please, if you would just let me in-"

"That's it." she stood up from her chair and walked around her desk to get to where he was. He was frozen in place, about to have yet another panic attack.

She yanked his arm and held a tight grip around it. She was a little taller than Peter, and she overpowered the defenseless boy. She dragged him towards the exit doors.

"You don't get come in here acting like you're all that and a bag of chips demanding to see Mr. Stark, when I have never even met him! I've worked here for four years, and you come waltzing in like you own the place. I don't know who you think you are, but let me tell you this." she made her grip tighter as she marched. Peter was following her, but still cowering in fear. "You need to humble yourself. You don't deserve to see Mr. Stark, you know why? Because you are just a bratty, self-centered little-"

"Let. Him. Go."

They both froze and turned to see a furious Tony Stark standing by the elevators. She immediately let go of Peter and he dropped to the floor.

"Why, Mr. Stark. I was just telling this boy he had to leave. He- He was demanding to see you, and- and he was making a whole scene. He was crazy, I tell you! I finally had it and I took matters into my own hands. He kept attacking me, and causing a whole ruckus, but I kept on going. I did my job, and- and I kept my head tall as I protected you. I- I protected this whole company from this terrible terrible boy. He's just awful! I-" he held a hand up to stop her.

"You're fired."

"I- what?"

"You're done. Don't ever come near this place ever again, do you hear me? You make up a whole lie about Peter going crazy, and you act like the victim."

"Well, I have never felt so accused in all my life-"

"Uh-uh. I don't want to hear it. Leave." Peter was looking up at them, wide-eyed with a worried expression. The lady just looked mad.

"Fine." she huffed and she stomped out of the building.

Tony helped Peter up off of the ground, and hugged him. Peter was tense at first, but quickly relaxed into his touch.

"I thought you weren't going to want to speak to me again." Tony whispered. He let him go, but he kept his hands on his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Peter nodded. Every single line Peter had memorized had gone out the window. He couldn't remember a thing, he was just frozen.

"C'mon, let's go upstairs." he led him to the elevator heading for the penthouse where they could work things through.

The few people that had witnessed the scene had worked there long enough to know to pay no attention to Tony whenever he's in a vulnerable state. When he was younger, cameras were always being shoved in his face, especially when he was in a vulnerable state, and that led to him not being able to control his emotions as he grew older. It was rare that Tony ever showed such emotion in public, so they all knew this was serious.

They knew that this kid had to be special to him.

No one touches the kid.

A/N just a lil filler to tide you over before the next update

have an awesome rest of the day/night! 💕