The Huntress24: Well, since you said please.
"Peter go away," Gwen said, even as she walked to her door. When she got his text, she told him not to come even as she put on something other than her flannel cat pajamas.
The knock was more persistent and she rolled her eyes. "You know, Parker, I don't remember you being this-" She interrupted herself with a squeak. She was face to face with Tony Stark complete with Armani suit and douchebag shades.
"This is your girlfriend? I'm impressed." Stark held up a hand that Peter high fived after a moment of hesitation.
"In. Now." She said as she practically dragged a multibillionaire into her home. Her life was wonderfully strange after meeting Peter Parker.
Tony cleared his throat uncomfortably but let himself be manhandled. "You know, I don't take this from anybody. You're lucky you remind me of Pepper."
She smiled genuinely despite her annoyance. "I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Please. I have a reputation to keep."
"Tony, this Is Gwen Stacy. Gwen, Tony Stark." Peter introduced, hands stuffed deeply into his pockets.
"Oh, thanks, Peter. I didn't even realize," she said bitingly. "Seriously, I think the condo's value just ticked up in value by a few thousand dollars."
Peter beamed. "Oh at least. I'm pretty sure my favorite Chinese place is now a four star French restaurant."
Gwen giggled before she remembered she was supposed to be angry. "Well, what's up? Last time I checked, we broke up."
"Aw, come on, Gwen. In his own twisted way, he thought he was doing the right thing." Tony clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Did you know he was gonna go with Hydra to keep you and his aunt safe?"
Her eyes widened a fraction. "I didn't but that sounds like one of the stupid self-sacrificing things he'd do." She slapped him upside the head as he long ago trained himself not pay attention to his spider sense when she was about to hit him. "What were you thinking?"
He sighed. "I was thinking that they could capture me anyway; may as well keep you and Aunt May as safe as possible."
She searched his eyes for a moment before launching herself into his arms.
"Come on guys. Tender moments give me hives."
Gwen blushed prettily as she she backed away from Peter. "So what's up? I have Tony fricking Stark in my living room. I thought I'd only ever see him on your-" Peter clasped his hand over her mouth.
"What's changed is," he began awkwardly, taking his hand from her mouth. "What's changed is Shield and the Avengers are gonna help me keep you and Aunt May safe."
"Don't forget you, kid. We're gonna keep you safe too." Tony blanked at the intensely grateful smile Gwen gave him. This kid must have had some serious martyr syndrome for her to react like that.
"Well I'm not as important-"
Tony groaned deeply and rolled his eyes so hard his whole head turned with the motion. "Oh, God, you're a Steve aren't you? I'm gonna have to chain you up in Avengers Tower. They'll say, 'Parker, we got all the pigeons in Brooklyn and if you don't come we'll put them all down humanely!' And you'll say, 'I gotta go Gwen, I'm the only one who can save them! They're just gray doves you know!'"
Gwen giggled and Peter scowled. "Alright you two. Stark, I was under the impression that you were to talk to Gwen about whatever your plan is."
Tony ruffled his hair and Peter's frown deepened. "Right well, Gwen, the plan is to move Mrs. Parker and Peter into the tower with me until the threat is neutralized. I'm not sure we should tell your mother and siblings, and it would be kinda odd to move them to the my place with no prior warning." He pulled out his StarkPhone. "You're neighbor is Hal Bennet, professional taxidermist... Weird. Anyway, he should be getting a job offer in New Jersey. Jersey is a place where professional taxidermy is big right? Probably." With a flourish he put the phone into his inner breast pocket.
"Um... Why are you getting Mr. Bennet a job?"
He eyed the flamingo lamp that stood in the corner. "Cause it's easier than trying to teach him how to do a protection detail. Also you can't honestly tell me you'll miss his gifts."
"Well I actually rather like the the raccoon telephone he got me for my sweet sixteen," she dead panned.
"Mmm yeah, that scratchy furry headset is not at all disturbing," Peter added with a grin.
Tony grimaced. "I'm sure you're new neighbor Talia Romanova could whip something up. She is Russian after all."
"Talia Romanova?"
"Gwen's protective detail while at home. You'll have another at school." He passed her what looked like two diamond stud earrings. "Panic buttons. Touch both of them at the same time and they'll send out a distress signal and your location."
"Biometric scanners? I assume they'll be tracking my location at all times." She peered down at them. "I was gonna ask what kept them powered but I can see the black of the solar panels underneath." She could see small tendrils of copper wire surrounding the stone and her eyebrows shot up. "You didn't insert any wires. This isn't real diamond, is it?"
Tony shrugged though he didn't hide the fact that he was impressed. "I made them in the car on the way here. Didn't have much to work with." He shook his wrists at her to show his missing cuff links.
"You're telling me. The remains of my calculator and watch are still in his limo. I'm gonna have a service for them. My cellphone wants you to say a few words."
"Pete, shut up," Gwen commanded with a smile.
"Romanova will watch over your family here and you'll have another guard at school. I'd let you two stay and make out or whatever but we gotta get going."
To Peter and Tony's surprise, Gwen hugged him. "Thank you, Mr. Stark," she said quietly, voice thick with emotion. "I worry about him a lot and... Just thanks."
"No problem, Stacy. And when your done wasting your talents at OsCorp, feel free to give me a call. I'm sure I could get you an in with Pep."
She just smiled. "Peter," she hugged him again. "Call me later, okay?"
"Okay."
"What is this, the Fault in our Stars? Let's go!"
"Aunt May, I'm home," Peter called from the living room. He winced as he heard a dish fall into water.
"Peter why haven't you answered my calls? You know I obsessively clean when I'm worried. They said you left early today with- oh!"
"Mrs. Parker," Tony Stark greeted.
"Sorry Aunt May, I, er, must have lost my phone in the limo." He rubbed his head awkwardly, mussing up his hair even more. It was more like he hid it so the man wouldn't cannibalize anymore of his stuff.
"Alright, sit down. Both of you. Now." If Tony had any inclination of disobeying, it was burned up by the hard stare of the 65 year-old woman. "Peter explain."
"Um Aunt May-"
"Ah uh buh-buh," she said, stopping him with one finger in the air. "Don't tell me you want Mr. Stark to explain. I want to hear it from you."
"I wasn't gonna," Peter mumbled but he didn't even fool himself with that. He sighed. "I don't know how much you know about my dad's research or that big fiasco with Doctor Connors a month ago but I was kind of involved with it. Kind of a lot." He paused to gauge her reaction but she just stared at him wide eyed and receptive. The only indication that she was reacting was the tight balls her fists made in her lap. "I thought that'd be it but then I got approached by Hydra yesterday. The- they tranquilized Gwen."
There were twin gasps from the two adults in the room. He might've forgotten to mention that bit to Tony. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Continue. Please." She grabbed his hand and neither of them was sure who she was trying to comfort.
"Er, I'm actually not really sure. Tony could explain this part better." Peter looked to Tony pleadingly.
"I was contacted by Shield who has an informant in Hydra. Shield as you may know was taken down, but they're rebuilding. They heard about Peter and how he refused to join. They knew he was in danger so they asked me to grant him asylum while they neutralize the threat."
"Oh, Petey. Is that why you've been acting so odd these past few months?" Tony frowned because as far as he knew, this only came up yesterday. She pulled him into a hug. "And here I was just blaming it on your Uncle Ben's death and puberty!"
Peter snatched himself from his aunt's grip so deftly, he was afraid they might find out his secret. He could feel the burn in his cheeks. "Nope Aunt May, none of that." He refused to acknowledge the man in the room who was now snickering. "You know this means we'll have to leave home for a while? Like tonight?"
She smiled weakly. "Peter, I'd do anything to keep you safe so don't say that like its problem. Besides, where ever you are, that's my home."
Tony cleared his throat. "As sweet as this is, hallmark moments make me itch. Pack lightly. You won't need much."
Peter jogged easily up the stairs and stared at his room. His father's glasses and brief case, pictures of them from when he was a kid, jeans and shirts. It was relatively easy to pack except he wasn't sure what to do about his suit. Any gallivanting as Spider-Man was immediately off the table as he was now being followed by at least two covert organizations and Tony Stark. He didn't need the extra heat he'd get from being outed as a superhero. All the same, he couldn't just leave the thing. If- when Hydra came snooping around, he didn't want them to find it. He decided the best course of action would be to take it with him and hide it. He stuffed it, along with his spare web shooters and cartridges under the dark bottom flap of his suitcase.
"Aunt May, Tony, I'm ready-" Peter's stomach fell through the floor as he walked into the living room.
"I am Iron man," he watched his twelve year-old self shout on the small TV. He then proceeded to run around the backyard shooting at invisible foes with little pews.
"Oh, God, please kill me now." Peter mumbled through his hands. He could feel himself blushing from the roots of hair to halfway down his torso. The pathetic pews of 12 year old Peter mercifully stopped but he still couldn't bring himself to look up.
"Come on, Mr. Stark he's finally finished. Aunt May came and kissed his cheek. "Next time, don't lie to me, for two months no less. I don't care if you were trying to keep me safe. Not your job, Petey."