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The beauty of being a former weapons manufacturer was that knowing how to hack and track technology was a must, and thus, a skill he'd mastered a long time ago. He'd barely pulled out of the parking garage before Jarvis had successfully gotten into the kid's phone and tracked him to a restaurant in downtown Queens. Tony turned up the radio and sped that way.

Meanwhile, at said restaurant, Peter and May were halfway through their meal and had no idea that Tony Stark was speeding toward them at that very moment. In fact, Peter had spent most of the meal purposefully trying not to think of Stark and his internship at all. He had no idea that the offer was already on the table, having been out with his aunt for the past few hours and as a result, not having checked his email yet that evening.

He was about to find out.

Their waitress had just come up to hand his aunt the check when Tony walked in. Peter wasn't paying attention at all, finishing up the sundae he'd order for dessert and listening to his aunt tell a story about some crazy client at work. He lifted his eyes from his ice cream to his aunt when his sixth sense started to tingle again, and he froze with the spoon halfway to his mouth when he caught sight of Tony in the front of the restaurant, talking to the hostess, who was saying something and pointing back toward their table.

This couldn't be happening. What was he doing here? He surely couldn't be looking for him, could he? The great Tony Stark, chasing him down? Why?

For just a second, the irrational, fleeting thought crossed his panicked mind again that Tony may have figured him out already. But even if he had, he didn't understand why that merited chasing him down. What would it matter to him if Peter was Spider-Man?

But sure enough, he was coming back this way. May had just seemed to realize that Peter wasn't listening, and she frowned a bit, leaning forward and putting her hand on his arm. "Peter? Are you alright?"

He didn't get a chance to answer, because in that moment, Tony had appeared beside the table. "Mr. Parker. Got a moment to talk?"

"Uh, yeah- yeah, sure." He started to stand up, but the elder man waved him off, grabbing a chair from a nearby table and just dragging it over instead.

He sat down on the chair and leaned forward, putting his arms up on the back before turning to May, who still had yet to speak, and holding out a hand. "Tony Stark. How are you? You must be Peter's…"

"Aunt," she finished for him, shaking his hand. "My name is May. And you know Peter, of course."

"Mhm." He looked back at Peter, cocking his head. "You get Pepper's email, kid?"

"Email? No, sir. I've been…"

"Busy? Yeah, me too. So here's the deal." Tony leaned toward him. "The internship is yours, if you want it. But there's a catch." He stopped, his eyes flicking to May for a moment and then back to Peter. "I got called out on business. I gotta skip town. So if you want the position, you have to come with."

Peter stared at him for a moment, uncomprehending. His aunt spoke before he could. "Skip town? To where? For how long?" She immediately rolled off all the questions he wanted to know, without a moment's hesitation, and he exhaled a small breath, feeling immensely grateful for her in that moment. Why was it he seemed to lose his ability to speak every time he was around Tony?

Tony ran a hand through his hair, then dropped his head on his chin. "To California. For… however long it takes me, honestly." At the look May gave him, he shrugged. "I told you, business. An old friend has asked me for some help with something that's come up, and I can't leave him hanging." He looked back at Peter, searching his face for some sort of reaction. "I know it's sudden, and I understand it's clear across the country. I do. But you were the most qualified candidate, and I felt you deserved the choice."

May looked from Tony to Peter, her uncertainty written all over her face. "I… I don't know, Peter. That's pretty far. And not knowing when you'll be back…"

"I would be sure he's home by the end of the summer, of course," Tony added, feeling the sudden need to clarify that. He had to hold back a frown. What was he doing? Didn't he want them to say no? On one hand - the hand that felt this was pointless and would likely never amount to anything - he thought yes, but on the other… the kid had skills, and Pepper had a point.

"Mr. Stark…" Peter spoke for the first time since he'd arrived, shaking the million swirling thoughts from his head. "I'm honored, sir. But with all due respect… I don't know if I can do that." The look on his aunt's face was enough to tell him everything he needed to know. She wasn't comfortable with this, not even close, and he wasn't sure that he was, either, great opportunity or no. Not to mention that would mean he wouldn't be able to be Spider-Man all summer. The thought made him uneasy.

May spoke up suddenly before Tony could respond to that. "This… business of yours. It wouldn't be dangerous, would it? And Peter wouldn't be involved in it?"

Tony shook his head. "To the best of my knowledge, no." That wasn't entirely true. It could well be dangerous for him, but he wouldn't be letting the kid anywhere near it, and so there was no need to tell her that. "The internship itself still stands the way it did here in the city. You'd still be working with me on day to day stuff, learning the ropes, that type of stuff. But if you're not interested, I understand. It's a big jump, and we don't have a lot of time." He leaned back.

"Meaning…?" May prodded.

Tony let out an awkward hum, pressing his lips together and looking down. "Meaning I need to leave in the morning, so I need a decision, like, now."

"No," Peter said, suddenly, decisively. "That's my decision."

Tony looked at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Alright." He started to get up, but May grabbed his arm.

"Wait just a minute, Mr. Stark. Peter…" She shook her head, looking at him with a hint of amazement. "Just… wait." She looked at Tony. "Can I talk to him for a moment, if you don't mind?"

"Sure, sure. I'll just…" He waved a hand, wandering off and leaning against the wall by the door.

Peter watched him go until May grabbed his hand, refocusing his attention on her. "Peter, this is a really big opportunity."

"You don't think I know that?" Peter looked down, shaking his head. "I do. I honestly do. But we're talking about the opposite coast of the country, May. I just… I don't like the idea of being that far away from you, especially for too long. I mean, what if something happens to you?" You're all I have left, he didn't have to add.

But the sentiment clearly crossed her mind as well, because her expression softened, and she squeezed his hand. "I know. I do. But you're not a little kid anymore, Peter. You're almost 17 years old. You have to have a life too. You're going to grow up and make something of yourself, not stay with me in a rinky-dink apartment in Queens forever." She sighed, looking down. "I can't make you stay, and I can't let you stay on my account, either, knowing I'm the only thing holding you back. I know how big this opportunity is for you. If you honestly think this is the type of thing you want to do with your life, then you should go."

Peter just looked at her, his eyes searching her face, taking in her earnest expression. He didn't need that sixth sense to confirm that she was telling the truth, and that this was genuinely how she felt. He looked down. "But what about you?"

"What about me, Peter? I'll still be here at the end of the summer, I promise." She squeezed his hand again. "You can call me every day. I promise I'll still be here, and when you come back, things can go right back to how they were if that's what you want. I trust you." She shrugged once, looking down. "Besides, I'm going to work all summer anyway. We'll probably see just as much of each other over video call as we would if you were physically here."

In that, he couldn't argue she had a point. He sighed, leaning back in his seat and squeezing her hand back. When he looked up, Tony was making his way back over. "You sure about this?" he asked, just to confirm once and for all she meant it. "Because it looks like our time is about up."

"I'm positive," May promised. She let go of his hand, leaning back as Tony walked up and reclaimed his seat.

"Something, anything for me yet? It is getting late, and I do have to leave bright and early tomorrow whether you come or not." He crossed his arms, looking between them for answers. He landed on May first, raising his eyebrows. "You? Yes or no?"

May looked at Peter, then back to Tony, meeting his eyes. "He'll be safe and well-taken care of? You'll look after him?"

"100%. He'll be with me or my personal assistant or my head of security at almost all times." At her raised eyebrow, he shrugged. "I'm not going to follow him around my own mansion." He paused, looking at May again and giving her an earnest look. "Trust me, if there's something I think he could get into, it'll be locked away nice and tight."

She just sat there for a moment, clearly thinking it through one final time before shaking her head once and shrugging helplessly. "Honestly, Peter, I don't know that there's safer hands I could leave you in. It's up to you."

They both looked at him. Peter looked between them - at his aunt's earnest, excited face, and Tony's stoic, intense expression as he tried to read what Peter was thinking before he could say it. "I…" He hesitated, and they both leaned forward slightly, waiting for his answer. He threw his hands up in the air. "Okay, fine. I'm in."

May gave a sigh of relief and smiled at him, and Tony nodded and rubbed his hands together, standing up. "Excellent. Let's hit the road then. If we go now we may just be able to get your essentials and be back at the tower by midnight."

"What? I'm going with you now?" Peter had started to stand up, but froze in place at his words.

Tony heaved a sigh, looking back at him. "Yes, unless you want to have to start walking in the middle of the night to make it to the tower before morning. I like you and all, kid, but none of us are driving down that early to get you at an hour both ways to be able to leave on time." Not that Happy or Pepper couldn't necessarily be convinced to do it, but it was just easier this way, not to mention kinder on all of them. He didn't want to see the look on either one of their faces if he got back to the tower at midnight and woke one of them up to inform them that they had to do that.

Peter blanched, although his aunt seemed unphased. She just sighed, shaking her head a little. "Go with him, Peter. I'll catch up as soon as I get this taken care of." She picked up the bill.

"Here, let me." Tony plucked it smoothly from her hand, glancing at it briefly and then tossing it down on the table with a fifty on top of it, which was more than double what the bill had cost. "There. Now, come along, and I'll drive you home."

The ride back to his apartment was short and dazed. Peter remembered very little of it, only realizing how long they'd been driving when the car stopped outside the building.

It occurred to Peter he'd never given him the building address, and he hadn't heard May tell him it either. He thought about asking how he knew, but decided quickly that was a question for another day. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know, especially right now.

Tony parked the car on the edge of the road and got out, walking around to open the door for May without a word. It was instinct, by this point; just proper manners. Peter didn't even look at them, hopping out and starting for the door. May started to follow, but Tony caught her arm.

She turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

He held out a hand. "Gimme your phone."

"O...kay." She gave him a strange look, but pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to him.

"I'm giving you my PA's number," he explained without looking up. "In case you would need to reach me." And because anyone with his or Pepper's number in their phone was easily pinged, thus allowing him to keep an eye on her. God forbid something were to happen; but his conscience wouldn't be laid to rest at all until he knew he'd put as many safe guards in place as possible, no matter how ridiculous.

"Oh. Well thank you." She took it back when he held it out, and then he locked the car, letting her lead him inside.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Ms. Parker?" He had to double check. He'd been pushing them for a decision and they'd made one he hadn't expected. But then, he also hadn't looked into the kid before coming, and he hadn't realized he lived with an aunt instead of parents. He had the feeling there was many things he didn't realize about Peter that he was soon going to find out. Starting tomorrow, if he had any say in the matter. He knew Happy and Pepper would have dug into security on the kid, but he hadn't been privy to whatever they'd come up with, mostly because he hadn't wanted to be.

"Is there a reason I shouldn't be, Mr. Stark?"

Tony blinked in surprise, unsure how to respond to that. "Not… as far as I'm aware of. Most people just aren't so willing to part with their kids on a moment's notice."

"I wouldn't say I'm happy about it, exactly." May pushed open the door to their apartment and stepped inside. "But he's almost an adult, and if this is what he wants to do with his life, who am I to tell him no? Besides, he's a responsible kid, and I trust him. I am going to hope that you're a responsible adult, or that you'll at least let me believe that you are even if you're entrusting that specific bit to others."

The last part was a dig, he was sure of it, and it was surprising but not undeserved. He knew not so long ago he'd had a pretty messy reputation, and suddenly he wondered if the comment she'd made to Peter about good hands was more for the benefit of convincing him to go than because she actually believed it. But if she didn't believe it, then she must have trusted the kid a whole hell of a lot to let him go. "Well, I won't tell you otherwise, then." He stepped further inside, looking around. He pointed down the hallway, silently asking if that was where the kid had went, and May just nodded as she took her jacket off.

Tony went to the boy's room, pushing the door open quietly and stepping inside. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. He had the fleeting thought that Peter wasn't paying any attention and that he could easily scare him if he felt like it, but before he had decided if he wanted to or not his eyes landed on something else and the intention was forgotten. "What the hell is that?"

Peter knew it was probably rude to leave his newfound mentor and his aunt, but he was afraid if he didn't make it back to his room and one of them came snooping he wouldn't be able to pack his suit without being noticed. It was the one thing that really mattered that he get. He couldn't leave it behind - just in case. Even if he'd have to have a death wish to use it around Tony Stark.

He took the stairs two at a time, not waiting for the two adults to follow him. He got into his apartment and nearly ran for his room, having the sense to mostly close the door behind him as he found the nearest duffel bag and then grabbed his baseball bat, moving the roof tile his suit was hidden above. A jump to the ceiling and a fateful toss later, the suit was in his bag, and he felt himself exhale a breath of relief as he touched the ground again. Good. The worst of it was over.

After that, it was just basics. He stuffed as much of his clothes as he could in the duffel and the notebook he kept track of his different experiments and calculations, and then stopped, considering what else to take, if anything.

"What the hell is that?"

Peter whirled, facing the billionaire. "What? Oh." Tony was staring at the hole in the ceiling where he hadn't put the tile back in place yet. His mind whirled to come up with an excuse. That was stupid. "It's broken," he blurted, then internally cursed at how dumb he sounded.

"You don't say." Tony's gaze flicked from the hole to his bag and back to him before shrugging, leaning against the wall. "Got everything?"

"Is there anything specific I need, Mr. Stark?" Peter turned and zipped up the duffel he'd filled, pulling it on his shoulder.

Tony just shrugged. "Unless you've got a specific comfort item or shit, then nope. I can get you anything you need once we get there."

Peter just nodded. Said comfort item was already in his bag. It had been the first thing he packed. "All good."

"Alright. Then let's go."