Title: My Favorite Weakness (is You)
Summary: Something's very wrong, but does that mean it isn't something to be wanted?
Rating: T (for violence)
A/N: This is my first work, so please let me know what you think! I am open to feedback and constructive critisicm, thoughts, ideas, and anything you'd like to share about the story!
- Chapter One: Day One -
"Two weeks!?"
Peter asked, more incredulously than not. How could Aunt May's work ask her to come in for two whole weeks? It seemed she was already living there, and asking her to literally stay at the hospital seemed to be asking too much.
"I know, hun," May responded, and Peter knew she was just as bummed as he was, if not more. "but there are so many unknowns with this knew virus, they want to make sure that the medical staff aren't spreading it. We come into contact with more carriers than anyone else! It was either this or stay home for the next two weeks. I'm really sorry, Peter."
Peter was sitting next to his aunt at the breakfast table, eating what many would refer to as a weekend brunch, except it was a Thursday. They had both slept in, something Peter'd had no problem getting used to once the schools had closed to prevent the spread of a new virus.
Of course, he and Aunt May weren't worried about him getting it, with his enhanced immune system, but Peter worried about May, especially since she saw so many potentially sick people on a daily basis.
Here was his aunt, out there fighting even when there wasn't a bad guy or evil villain. Aunt May was as strong and determined a fighter as any given enhanced person on the street, and that made Peter proud - and sometimes very, very worried for her.
He didn't know what to think at first, of her going for two weeks. He'd be fine home alone. Bored out of his mind, but fine. Nothing he could complain about in comparison with what she was facing. But May wasn't complaining. She'd been the hero type long before Peter had any powers.
They figured out details all weekend. Peter was to stay either at the apartment or at Ned's; she had gone over the rules with him so often he literally dreamed about them ("no Spider-Manning unless Tony Stark knows you're out, and don't stay out later than 10. Fine, 11 pm. call me before and after each patrol; and during if you have time," etc.). She had also stored enough food in the pantry to last him a month (she hadn't completely figured out his enhanced metabolism yet).
She would let him know when she figured out her schedule, and planned to call him before and after every shift ("and on breaks and after naps!"). Throughout the day, she'd randomly stop and give him one of her backbreaking hugs; "I'll transfer my love to you now via osmosis, to make our phone calls easier, she told him."
Despite the fun he knew he'd be having over the next 12 days, it didn't compare to how much he was looking forward to her returning.
His heart hurt, and she wasn't even gone yet. He was going to need to keep himself busy to make it through the upcoming weeks.
- Day 1 -
It was no surprise, therefore, that Ned was there less than an hour after May's departure the next day, both of them on their computers scoping out the city.
Peter couldn't resist the relaxed grin that rested on his face as he scrolled recent articles, trying to figure out what kinds of crimes he should be on the lookout for.
"Did you hear about that guy who got arrested for stealing toilet paper? I guess he won't need it if he ends up in prison." Ned talks almost as fast as his fingers whir on the keys, somehow clicking and reading and talking all at once.
"People are doing weird things," Peter agreed, "but I'm pretty sure you don't go to prison for stealing toilet paper."
"Who knows?" Ned shrugged, "anyways, you shouldn't have to wait until dark to go out. Despite everyone being home, burglaries have spiked! Or maybe it's because they have no creativity and can't think of anything else to do."
Peter smiled and spun around in his chair, "I don't understand it. Who could get bored when the entire internet exists?! Haven't you people heard of YouTube? I mean, learn a language or how to play the ukelele or something." His eyes wandered to the window, where the sunny and empty streets of New York were walking by.
Peter sighed; "I'm going to call Mr. Stark and let him know I'm going out on patrol."
"You guys are still talking?"
"We don't talk any less than before."
"You've called Mr. Stark recently and not told me?!."
Peter sighed; "No."
Peter looked down at Happy's text in his phone. Ned was right; there was no call or text history there, only the number which Happy Hogan had probably quite reluctantly forwarded him. After Peter had turned down Mr. Stark's offer to join the Avengers, they hadn't made much contact. Peter had been thrilled to find the gifted suit, and hoped that Mr. Stark's paper-bag gift was a display of a more relaxed... friendship between them, but Peter wasn't even sure "friendship" was the right word. The only personal things Peter knew about Mr. Stark's life came from Google, and despite not having many friends, Peter knew that wasn't how a friendship was supposed to work. Since May found out about his secret, Peter was pretty sure she'd spoken with Mr. Stark more than he had, especially once she'd asked him to "be there" for Peter while she was gone. He'd contacted Happy, giving report on his patrolling, but his daily logs had turned into weekly messages, and sometimes texts as that. He hadn't gotten a response until last week after May had spoken with them, when Happy had texted him:
Happy :): I've attached Tony's number. FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY.
Peter sighed, ignoring the pang in his chest as he opened Mr. Stark's contact info.
His words sounded hollow, when he spoke. "Yeah, Ned, we're good."
"And you're still Spider-Man, right? Even though you turned down the spot?"
"Yes, Ned, and I didn't turn down Spider-Man, just becoming an Avenger. We went over this."
"Right, right, I just didn't know what Tony Stark thought about it."
"You and me both, Peter thought, as he called the number.
Ned went on, "Like, you turned down being an Avenger. Is Spider-Man even legal now? Or are you technically a wanted vigilante like Captain America?"
Peter grinned as the line rang; "Why do you think Spider-Man only shows up at night?"
"Because Spider-Man has homework," Ned teased.
Peter gave him an unamused expression, "It was a joke."
All of a sudden, Tony's voice spoke up:
"What was a joke?"
"Mr. Stark!" Peter's mind was whirring 100 mph now; Ned fake fainted onto the twin bed against the wall. Peter turned away, not wanting his star-struck friend to cause him to laugh while he was on the phone.
Peter waved his hand exaggeratingly at Ned, who was whispering something along the lines of "omigoshPeter-I-can'tGetOver-how-You're-literally talking-to-the-one-and-only-Tony-Stark-right-now-our-lives-are-so-cool" motioning for him to calm down before Mr. Stark heard.
"Hi Mr. Stark, how are you?"
"A joke, apparently." Tony's voice was full of its usual sarcasm.
"No-no-no-no, that was for something else! Ned and I were talking about Spider-Man, and he said that-"
"Kid! You're good. Sheesh, I was also joking," Peter waited a beat, unsure how to proceed since he'd been cut off. Mr. Stark went on for him.
"What's up, kid? You called me for something, and I hope it wasn't just to chat. Aunt Hottie can't have been gone for... what, an hour tops? Have you and your friend already gotten in trouble? If so, please call Happy for those things, he's really good at handling problems."
"Yes Mr. Stark! I mean, No? I just, Aunt May said I needed to let you know when I was going to go on patrol, so, I was calling to let you know I was going on patrol."
He could hear Tony sigh over the phone. For a hot second he thought he was about to be turned down, and his nerves flahsed at the thought of not being able to patrol for two entire weeks.
"Sure, like I told your Aunt, I don't care when you go out. You're your own thing, and I respect that." Peter took that as an affirmative, and he gave Ned an excited thumbs up as he made his way to the closet to get the suit out.
"But it makes her feel better, and you've got my number now, so please feel free to text when you're going out. Save the calls for Emergency Only. Capisce?"
"Capace, Mr. Stark! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it, thank you again for being willing to step in while-"
"I'ma stop you right there, kiddo. It's no problem, honest. But I'm being summoned, so have fun, stay safe, wear sunscreen, say no to drugs, yada yada yada. I trust you to make the right call. That's okay, right?"
"Yes sir, I just-"
"Perfecto. Ciao kid!"
Peter tossed his phone onto the bed and he and Ned began their adventure, day one.
Tony could practically hear the kid bouncing; he reassured himself that none of Peter's excitement was for Tony himself, but rather his freedom to be Spider-Man. Hell, Tony would be that excited if the government would tell him to just text them whenever Iron Man would be making an appearance.
Peter's aunt had reached out to him, asking Tony to be there for Peter. She apparently knew of his alternate identity now, a development Tony hadn't known about. Maybe Happy had forgotten to tell him, or it was recent.
Not that it mattered to him, of course. Of course not. Why would it? Peter was running his own gig now, and didn't want or need Tony, he told himself.
He was pulled from his thoughts as Pepper knocked again at his car window, facing her wrist towards him to emphasize the time on her watch.
He stepped out of the car, stepping in line with Pepper, who somehow kept everything she managed under perfect control: the company, her beautiful appearance, and the people she worked with. That is, everything except Tony. He knew he was the biggest problem in her smooth, flawless system, and he figured he was the only flaw keeping her from reaching perfection.
Her words were sharp, but her tone kind; "who was that on the phone? I hope they were important enough to make us late for this meeting."
"I thought I surrendered these meetings when I gave you the company," Tony responded, ignoring her question. They walked into he building, using her key card to get in and down a hall.
"You surrendered these meetings when you turned over the company," she said, holding up a folder thick with paperwork; "this meeting, however," she held up a pamphlet as a representation of the importance of the meeting, "is one I can't go to for you. It has to do with SHIELD."
Tony stopped in his tracks, and gave Pepper a sour expression.
She rolled her eyes at him, to which he scowled; "Please," she said, leading him to the next door on the right, "this one is important, or I wouldn't have brought you here. I know how much you hate them." She wished him good luck and ushered him through the door.
Pepper closed the door behind him, taking a second to get herself in check and reorder her thoughts together before walking away with a shaky breath.
Of course, she wasn't told a thing about the meeting, just that Tony needed to come to it. She really did try to get him out of it, as she normally did, pushing it off the agenda until a man showed up to her office one day and identified himself as a SHIELD agent. She figures he came to her because she was easier to reach than Tony and she could actually get him to show up.
The pamphlet he'd given her was for show, she knew, but despite her attempts to discover the intent behind the meeting, she was left in the dark.
That is, before she'd ushered Tony through the door.
Not even a year had passed since Tony had been broken. The Accords had since gone into a state of revision, but as for Tony, Pepper wasn't so sure. She knew he was trying, but underneath the sly grin of Earth's Mightiest Hero was a soul still broken.
She always told people that she had the company, and Tony had Pepper. But she knew he also carried the world. She didn't know what had happened in Siberia, but the people who had helped Tony with that task had left him to it.
She wasn't ready to pick up the broken pieces again, and honestly she wondered if Tony could make it through something like that a second time. Which is why she was so worried when she glimpsed the profile of Steve Rogers in the split second she had seen within the room Tony just entered.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Thank you for any feedback! Stay Safe and Healthy out there :)