Déjà vu (n.)
Tedious familiarity; reexperiencing the unexperienced
The illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time.
The first, and arguably most significant change happens during Peter Parker's field trip to Oscorp. His best friend, Ned Leeds, had, in a fit of inspiration and restless excitement, researched everything about Oscorp to the tee.
As such, he was rambling to Peter Parker the entire time and Peter, being the good best friend that he was, listened with rapt attention.
So much attention, in fact, that the little glowing spider on the other side of the room didn't catch his attention.
He didn't take a moment to look at it curiously and definitely didn't go near it.
He doesn't take a second look at the glowing animal and instead, turns to his best friend and asks more questions about the company's weird engineering department.
That day, the spider doesn't bite anyone, simply going about its business as usual.
And like the flapping of a butterfly's wings, it changes things. A seemingly miniscule change, but a change all the same.
Because when the lights of New York City go dim, one by one, there isn't a swinging superhero calling out weird quips while checking to make sure everyone goes home safe and sound.
Instead, Peter Parker yawns tiredly as he answers the last of the homework he wanted to finish in advance.
It's funny how the universe works, like long interconnected webs. People have always argue that destiny and fate weren't real; simply made up by insecure men during the way back when to justify unexplained phenomena in the world but that, like a lot of other things in this science-oriented world which refuses to believe in magic, was wrong.
If you ask a master of the mystic arts what would be the most curious thing in the multiverse, maybe they'd answer the birth of stars or dinosaurs talking but there would always be one that would say the existence of connected individuals.
In some worlds, the Avengers were different things, a boyband, a group of contractors, superheroes, supervillains, or even, non-existent. But there was always one constant.
Every universe, every Earth that one would be able to observe had one, Peter Parker who was, most commonly, Spider-man.
And, without exception, was his relationship with Tony Stark.
In some universes, they would be rivals, enemies, competitors in the business industry or maybe, coworkers or even co-CEOs. Sometimes, they'd be father and son or mentor and protegee.
One way or another, Peter Parker would always be linked to Tony Stark.
In this universe, they're not quite there yet.
But, like all things like this, they'd get there eventually. They just needed a little bit more time.
One.
Peter had been having a shit day and it wasn't even halfway through yet which made him even moodier. First, he had to leave halfway through breakfast because his incompetent partner forgot to rewire a few things for their project last night and didn't know how to do it so he had to rush to school, an entire hour early, when he could have been talking to May and Ben before they left for work.
Silently cursing his partner for the third time this week, Peter rushes out the door in a mad dash for the subway.
As he sprints down the sidewalk, muttering quick calculations and necessary changes he mentally took note of that he needed to finish, he doesn't notice the, frankly, very luxurious car stuck in traffic with its window open.
Tony Stark had been stuck in traffic for the past thirty minutes. Normally, he's tell Happy that he was in a hurry, jump in the spare Iron Man suit in the trunk and be on his way but today, he had a board of directors meeting that Pepper surprised him with scheduled.
The mere thought of having to spend even more time with those stinky old men who only thought about money and profit was about as enticing as stale bread for Tony and Tony would have you know that he only ate gourmet (plus the occasional cheeseburger).
As such, Tony welcomed the calm of an unmoving car in unmoving traffic, conveniently ignoring Happy's mild cursing and repeated honking beside him. Instead, he opened the window of his car and leaned back, simply reveling in the much needed peace and quiet in his otherwise hectic schedule.
Picking up on someone muttering complex calculations as he was running, Tony looked out the window, expecting to see some guy in a lab gown but is instead met with the sight of a child sprinting towards the subway like Satan himself was about to catch up.
Staring at the rushing child, Tony couldn't help but laugh and tell Happy his, seemingly random, thoughts, "Queens is really interesting, Hap."
(Peter Parker never notices a pair of eyes that follow him for the next minute or so.
Likewise, Tony Stark brushes off the weird tightening in his chest. He doesn't think about it long enough to matter.
But maybe, if he stopped to check, he'd recognize it as nostalgia and a sense of recognition.
Just like déjà vu.)
two.
The thing about working as a (part-time) superhero is that there was a frankly insane amount of paperwork Tony needed to finish after every raid and/or other hero-related events.
Normally, Tony would just brush them off and pretend they don't exist until finally a SHIELD agent would get impatient with him and do it instead. This time, however, he wanted to personally take care of it because this mission happened to be Howard Stark-related and, in Tony's mind, it was better that he spent a few hours in some dirty police station than someone else knowing information that he definitely didn't want to be known.
To make sure everything was in order, Tony had to sit in this chair that was just short enough that it felt uncomfortable which, he thought, was probably made to exist for the sole purpose of giving him a headache, plus it was also sort of sticky and he really didn't want to think about it.
If he were honest, he was looking around the room for the sole purpose of trying to distract himself from the weird smell that came from the nearby cells.
He'd say it smelled like vomit but, frankly, Tony was in denial that he was sitting approximately 10 meters away from said liquid and, as such, would never admit that it was, in fact, vomit until the day he died.
Instead, he looked around the station to satiate his naturally curious mind and take a catalogue of everything he could see, a habit he formed when he was younger and bored to death during the numerous lectures he had to endure from his bastard father. He was about to ask the police officer beside him about the status of the clean-up of their recent mission just for something to do when his attention was caught by the sight of a lanky (familiar?) teenager, excitedly bouncing inside the station.
It was an odd sight. A child who was in the station and was definitely not arrested. Nonetheless, Tony opted to ignore it and simply observe the teen, a welcome distraction from the smells around the room.
He had brown hair and the eyes to match, a build of an athlete, his movements lithe, but definitely not of a bodybuilder, most likely someone who trained for speed, agility and flexibility. Yet, it wasn't his appearance that caught Tony's eye. No. it was the light in the boy's eyes.
A light that Tony recognized in his own every time he looked in the mirror.
Tony had a curiosity for the world around him, always filled with the urge to break things down just so he could build them better afterwards. He had the mind of a scientist and, by the looks of it, the boy, who was ranting scientific equations and theorems to a person Tony assumed to be his father, did too.
In the end, after minutes of debating whether or not to ask, Tony couldn't help himself and turned to the officer who was finishing up his paperwork and casually said, "Didn't know the precinct had interns," letting the hidden question hang in the air.
The officer, Morris, looked up at him with a confused look and seeing who he was looking at, made a noise of recognition. "Oh, we don't, Mr. Stark. That's Peter, Ben's nephew," leaning conspiratorially, as if telling a secret, he continued, "Kid's orphaned, young at the time too, but, let me tell you, Mr. Stark. Kid's a genius, that one, absolutely brilliant. Mind's as quick as a whip."
And as Tony stood up and dusted the non-existent dirt off of his suit, he looked towards the genius child one last time, muttering a small 'huh' in reply, put his sunglasses on and made to leave.
(Genius, huh? I wonder why he felt so familiar…)
three,
Every morning, Peter had a routine. He'd walk into his usual café whilst balancing all his belongings in such a precarious way that the barista would always momentarily stop and stare for a few seconds, a little amazed at how the kid hasn't somehow toppled over yet.
Instead, he brushes off the amazement and asks, as per their routine, "Good morning, what can I get you today?"
And like clockwork, Peter always answers the same thing, "Hot chocolate with toffee nut syrup and caramel drizzle, please, Damon."
And Damon, as always, holds out the already prepared cup of hot chocolate labelled with the words 'Peter Parker' for a second before eyeing the small mountain of books, pens, haphazard notes and the few wires sticking out of Peter's hair and backpack and, just like every other morning, responds with, "I'll have it sent to your table, Pete."
Nodding with gratitude, Peter settles down at the long shared table in the back of the café beside a grumpy man, carefully taking out all the papers he had to solve the latest problem with his research. The thing just had one specific problem and the solutions that Peter's groupmates kept coming up with work for only a small amount of time, essentially acting as an effective short-term solution but not a good long-term one.
This morning, while on his way to the café, he had gotten a stroke of inspiration, or shall he say, pure genius aka remembered what he learned in class and actually tried to apply it.
So, he had to draw a whole new diagram and work out all its needed calculations and before he knew it, he… ran out of paper.
Rummaging through his bag and papers frantically, afraid of losing his stroke of genius, Peter is interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat.
Happy Hogan, who sits beside him on the long shared table, rolled his eyes as he drank his too-bitter coffee while waiting for Tony's to finish because the genius always managed to order some ridiculous bullshit that took a wait and a half to finish. Honestly, at this point, Happy is convinced that Tony does it exclusively to waste time.
Happy who Peter felt to be vaguely familiar slides a wad of paper towels towards him with a pointed look before returning to his newspaper, acting like nothing ever happened.
If it were any normal day, he'd feel like a child being pushed to do drugs but today wasn't a normal day. Today was the day he could finally figure out what was wrong with their project and GET IT DONE. Who cared if the tissue paper in front of him came from a guy who looked like some dude from Men in Black?
Reaching for the towels, Peter hurriedly finished the equations and took a picture, making sure to send it to his group chat, briefly staring at the grumpy man in front of him.
Do I know him from somewhere?
Remembering that this man was the one who supplied him with his makeshift paper and he was staring at him rudely, Peter hurried to thank him. "Oh, thank you, sir! Um, I'm Peter Parker, by the way."
Grunting out an affirmative sound (how did he know it was affirmative?), the man replied, "I'm Happy."
Pointedly staring at the man who sported what looked like an ever-present frown on his face and is the physical embodiment of grumpy, Peter slowly nods, "Right… good for you, sir! I'll be on my way! Thank you for the towels again!"
Moving to tell the child that he wasn't happy, his name was Happy, there's a difference, he was interrupted by a text notification on his phone.
Taking his phone out of his pocket, Happy looks down to check.
Pepper Potts 7:58 A.M.
Happy, where are you? Tony has a meeting in thirty minutes.
Please tell me you're on your way already.
Panicking, Happy quickly chugs his coffee, grimacing at the heat, and grabs whatever was on the table and rushes to his car.
Happy Hogan 7:59 A.M.
We're on our way. In fact, we are SO on our way that we are on the road and moving.
Pepper Potts 8:00 A.M.
You're not even on your way, are you?
Happy Hogan 8:01 A.M.
You know how he is.
I just picked up his coffee.
We'll be there in time for the meeting.
Want any?
Pepper Potts 8:02 A.M.
Just get here already.
(He doesn't look up, distracted by his need to rush but if he did, he'd notice that the child in front of him looked at him curiously before leaving.
As if wondering if he ever met him before.
Peter swears that he's seen this man before.
He just can't remember when.)
Rushing into the lab, Happy thrusts the cup of steaming coffee towards Tony, saying "We need to get moving if you don't want to miss the meeting Pepper specifically asked you to go to which, BY THE WAY, you didn't mention to me? I had to lie to Pepper's face and she knew it. I'm so dead, Tony, you don't even know."
Waving nonchalantly, Tony casually sips his coffee, taking his sweet time for no reason. Actually. He knew the reason. Pepper was forcing him to attend a meeting with some smelly old men when it would be much more efficient AND logical for her to summarize everything and send it to him after the meeting while he tinkered away in his lab.
Nonetheless, he made a promise so he was going to get there. Just. After his coffee.
Reaching for the towels, Tony was about to wipe his mouth with them when he noticed an uncharacteristic roughness to it. Looking down, Tony was puzzled by the complex equations and random numbers written on it. By the looks of it, this seemed to be math complex enough that most top students couldn't get without thinking about it for a good while.
Interested, Tony asked Happy, "Where'd you get this?"
Puzzled, Happy replied slowly, "From the tissue box, Tony, did you get enough sleep?"
"No. I meant this specific one. It's got equations and stuff written on it."
Staring at the paper, Happy makes a noise of recognition. It was the towel he gave the kid, he must have left it by accident. "Some high schooler was sitting in front of me, scribbling like a lunatic, and ran out of paper. Paper towels were the next best thing."
What Happy doesn't say is that looking at the kid made him feel heartache and fondness all at once and it was overwhelming, too overwhelming, that he had to look away. What he doesn't say is that when the kid briefly excused himself before leaving, Happy nearly asked him to stay.
What he doesn't say is that that kid was familiar yet not.
What Happy doesn't tell Tony is that the kid's name is Peter Parker.
He didn't think it was important enough. Happy Hogan, for the first time ever, ignores his gut and forcefully dismisses everything about the child, Peter Parker. Because thinking about a child that felt like he was meant to be in their life but isn't would be too painful for him. Because, Happy Hogan was the first of them to have an inkling but he didn't quite get it yet.
Because looking at the face of Peter Parker was like looking at the face of a long lost friend and for the brief moment that Peter looked at him as he was leaving, Happy could see a lot of things but recognition wasn't one of them, not that Happy himself recognized the boy.
And boy, had that felt like a bucket of ice cold water dumped right on top of him.
So, instead, he shrugs and turns to leave.
(He doesn't see Tony stare at the names on the tissue that looked to be delegated tasks for multiple people. He doesn't mention the name 'Peter Parker' with a tiny 'me!' note at the bottom right. Instead, before leaving, Tony tucks the piece of paper, flimsy as it was, into a locked drawer. He doesn't know why he felt the need to but as he turns the key, locking the drawer with air-tight security, he couldn't help but feel that it was just right.
Peter Parker, huh? What a small world.)
four.
Peter Parker sent his application to Stark Industries on a whim, deciding that there was really no harm in trying, fully expecting to be rejected because he knew that there were zero (0) high school applicants accepted every year. What he forgot to take not of, though, was the impressive amount of engineering competitions he had won at his age and the one research paper he published when he was bored and never remembered to check on but was kind of a big deal.
So, obviously, when he received the call telling him that he had an internship at Stark flipping Industries, and when can you come in for an interview, he promptly freaked out and started yelling for his aunt and uncle who both came in running expecting some sort of fire, only to be met with the sight of their hyperventilating nephew who was frantically gesturing to his phone, an email on his computer and looking like he was having a heart attack and existential crisis all at once.
(He wasn't, they checked.)
Instead, they spent the night watching a really bad sitcom and having thai for dinner as celebration because their nephew was the first high school student ever to have an SI scholarship, not that they'd expect anything less from the force that was Peter Parker.
Stark Industries, Peter decided, was epic and he was pretty sure that Ned would absolutely flip when he told him about the internship tomorrow morning, though he'd have to remind him not to go blabbing, given his best friend's personality. Heck, it was such an amazing place that Peter's pretty sure he'd actually be able to get MJ to crack a shadow of a smile when he'd tell her the amazing protocols SI has in place.
Still, working after school and on weekends with people who had the same type of obsession love for science as he did was overwhelmingly amazing that the first time he ranted about his project and being understood and given feedback instead of the usual look of confusion and small placating nod nearly made him sob.
For some reason, the interns and supervising employees he worked had all taken to acting like he was their baby brother or something, always going out of their way to ruffle his hair or give him advice. Not that he didn't like it, of course. It was just a new change that he needed to cope with.
Absentmindedly turning around, Peter was abruptly stopped by a hand on his shoulder, bumping into someone. Looking up, he was met with the sight of Pepper Potts.
He… was… met… with… Pepper Potts… Oh god, he just bumped into Pepper Potts… the CEO…
This is it. He's losing his internship and he wasn't even a month in yet.
Oh god, he'll never be successful in life, the world has something against him. Internally writing his will, Peter dazedly blinked at the woman in front of him.
Goodbye, Ned. I leave all my LEGOs to you, especially that Death Star that I know you've been secretly eyeing.
Goodbye, MJ. Please be comforted by the knowledge that my death was caused by your all-time idol and I have been given the honor of being in the glorious presence of Pepper fucking Potts.
Farewell, Aunt May. To you, I leave the worryingly tall stack of cook books that I hope would serve you well. The scrambled egg recipe is especially easy and is guaranteed not to kill anyone, no matter how burnt it is.
Adieu, Uncle Ben. Thank you for your care and support all these yours. I hope it would calm your soul knowing that I died in an establishment of science and technology.
Preparing for the inevitable, Peter closed his eyes, bracing himself for the tongue lashing, but is instead met with a kind question from the woman in front of him, "Are you okay?"
Staring at the woman who Peter felt to be vaguely familiar but chalked it up to her being a celebrity, Peter slowly turned red in embarrassment and replied, "Yes, maam, CEO, Pepper Potts, maam. I'm sorry, I didn't pay attention to my surroundings. Are you okay?"
Chuckling fondly (fondly?), Pepper reassured the boy with a calm wave of her hand. "It's fine. Don't worry. I'll just leave you to your work."
(Working on his project, Peter was sucked into it, as per the norm. he doesn't notice Pepper Potts pass by again much later in the day after a meeting with the R&D staff. He doesn't notice her ask her assistant for his name and definitely doesn't notice her place a hand on her chest, confused, because she felt like she was seeing someone she hasn't met in a long time. It's a weird feeling, like sticky sweet syrup in her heart telling her, 'that's someone important to you, you just don't know it yet'.
Later, Pepper would have an early dinner with her mind somewhere else - on floor 32 in lab alpha with a certain genius child working on schematics. Tony would ask what was wrong and she'd say nothing, just a weird feeling is all.
Eating her vegetables, Pepper couldn't help but think, 'it felt a little like déjà vu'.)
Five.
The first time Tony Stark truly gets to meet Peter Parker, it is through a computer screen.
He had been tasked to spend the day doing literally nothing and it was driving himself insane. The lab is right there, a short 5 minute walk and elevator ride at most and yet, he can't do anything but sit here in front of a monitor looking over the interns like some security guard, because Pepper had the audacity to lock him out of his labs. It was seriously pissing him off.
Tony would have you know that colleges all over the world would beg for a chance at him working in their labs for the day. Instead, his wife is forcing him to do nothing because he needed, and he quotes, 'a break, Tony, you look like a dying rat all camped out in the lab by yourself' which excuse you, he looked absolutely spectacular, eye bags and hair sticking all over the place aside.
Still, he was losing his damn mind just sitting here.
Well, that was until he noticed that all the interns in floor 10 have been sitting in a classroom like set-up for the past 10 minutes. Looking closer, he noticed the smallest intern he'd ever seen explaining some concept that Tony knew was supposed to be too complex for his age. Yet, here he was, explaining to people much older than him with the familiarity of a long-time professor.
It's official. That kid. He must have him. Tony wouldn't settle for less. There would be no possible way that Tony Genius Stark would let Peter Even Brighter Genius Parker rot in some lab like a commoner. No, Peter Parker was meant for the big leagues and hell if Tony would let that type of intellect stay hidden.
Listening to the impromptu lecture, Tony noted that the intern taught with the style that made it seem so simple to understand, reducing the topic to easily understood metaphors and much more common concepts that by the end of it, thirty whole minutes later, the interns surrounding the smaller boy looked as if they were looking at the face of god.
By nature, Tony Stark was a curious man, as was common in people with the intellect that he did. So, he wanted to know how far this little genius child could go, not that it had anything to do with the fact that he was also ridiculously endearing and familiar, evident even through a computer screen. No. Not at all.
"Pep, that's what I want. Him. Come on. Think about it. Genius," gesturing to the still image of Peter Parker's impromptu lecture a few hours ago, and then gestures to himself, "another genius! We'd be unstoppable and you know it. Come on, please let me have him as an intern."
Staring at the image of her begging husband, Pepper could only sigh. She knew that Tony was the type of person to lose interest rather quickly and she had hoped to hide Peter Parker for a while longer, letting him mingle with the other interns who had so quickly taken to him like mother hens.
Though, Pepper suspects, this time might be different. The look in his eyes was one that she had only seen once. Harley Keener. Another genius boy in Tennessee that Tony had wanted to give a lab to. She knew that Tony, given his childhood and lack of support from his father, bastard, (Pepper refused to acknowledge his name whenever possible) wanted to nurture children and young adults the same way he never got to have when he was younger.
Only that there weren't a lot of genius teenagers around nowadays.
So, it would have only been a matter of time before he found the little intern that she secretly adored. Sighing, Pepper finally relented, "You better take care of him, Tony, or I swear to god. I don't care if we're married, you hurt him and I will hurt you. We clear?"
Over the next few weeks, Tony and Pepper got to know their little intern, Peter Parker. They found that he had an aunt and uncle in Queens that the couple had immediately taken a shine to over dinner, liking their dynamic and overall sense of humor so much that they had dinner together whenever their schedules allowed.
They found that Happy had also quickly grown attached to the boy, not that the grumpy man will ever admit to it, bonding over their shared love for the same café and gym sessions. Apparently, Peter Parker had good reflexes and could think quickly on his feet, being trained by one of the best police officers in the business in hand-to-hand combat as well as guns.
He had a best friend, Ned, who was just as nerdy and excitable as Peter and a girlfriend, MJ, who was basically a more sarcastic reincarnation of Pepper which Tony found absolutely hilarious.
It was like Peter was a missing piece in their puzzle, fitting seamlessly in their dynamic, bringing along his own little family to create something that Pepper and Tony didn't even know they craved. It felt like something finally just clicked and everything seemed right.
Walking into the lab, Peter Parker bounces with excitement. Placing his bag on a chair, he absently calls out to the man tinkering a ways ahead of him, "Hey, Mr. Stark!"
But, as if realizing what he just said, Peter jolts. How familiar this is. It's as if he always said it. However, before he could retract the statement, the man in front of him turns around.
"Hey, Mr. Stark!"
Hearing that statement, Tony startles, not because he didn't notice him (he did, the kid was noisy), but because, for the first time in a while, something settles within him, as if the universe was whispering 'finally'
So, it only felt like second nature to turn to the excitable teen and reply, "Hey, Underoos."
