That afternoon came much too soon, interrupting Peter's catnap a half hour before 12. He jumped up, running to the bathroom to pee and fix his hair before heading back to meet Tony in his lab. Upon arrival Peter couldn't help but stare at the scientific wonders before him. Chemicals in beakers and jars next to scattered papers, surrounded by machine parts and blueprints for thousands of projects.
"This place is amazing Tony. Um, I don't suppose I could come here in my free time one day and check some of this stuff out?"
"Depends on how well you do as my science minion. If you're as smart as I hope you can do your homework in here for all I care."
Peter grinned. "Looks like I'll be a live-in minion then. You don't happen to have polypeptide polymeric protein solution lying around do you? It's mostly what I use for my webs. If you're as smart as I hope maybe I'll share the formula with you someday."
Tony laughed. "I don't smartass, but we can get some. That's what real spiderwebs are made of right?"
"Pretty much yeah. I add some stuff to make it even stronger and all that jazz, but I figured what could I really do that's better than the original thing."
Tony smirked. "You'd be surprised what scientists can do to improve on nature. Just ask my lackeys down in the labs." Peter smiled back and nodded,
"True. Maybe you can help me with the web formula sometime then?"
Tony's face lit up like the fourth of july. "Really? I'd love to! Bruce will totally want in on this too is that cool?"
Peter nodded. "Sure, as long as you guys can keep your mouths shut. I really can't have the formula getting out anymore than you can have the designs for your arc reactor going public."
Tony nodded, quite serious now. "I understand. Don't worry kid, your secrets will all be safe with us. We're Avengers after all."
"You take that pretty seriously huh. It means alot to you?"
"Yeah. Like I'm sure the others have told you, we're family. The best family in the world. And you're part of it now even if NataSHA'S NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT." He shouted the end of the sentence toward the vents, quickly resulting in some muttered Russian cursing, and a lithe redhead sliding out of the vent.
"Yebat' na khuy Stark. Ya delayu eto, chtoby posmotret' svoyu zadnitsu k Stivu."
"Awww Steve asked you to watch my ass how sweet. But I don't believe you. So shoo."
She scowled and stalked out of the room.
"So uh.. She still doesn't like me huh."
Tony grinned. "She barely likes me kid. Don't worry though, honest. She hardly ever sleep-kills."
The alarmed look on Peter's face made Tony laugh. "I'm kidding I'm kidding! I think… Anyway, let's get to stalking Dr. Smith and her science minions." Peter nodded slowly.
"Yeah.. okay.. I like science better than murder…" Tony grinned.
"You're going to fit in here just fine kid. Now follow me."
Several hours later, Tony and Peter had finished their rounds and Peter was carrying a three hundred page paper from Dr. Smith that he had to read and return to her by Friday.
Tony shooed him off to put the paper in his room and wash up for dinner. Peter did so, taking a quick shower after placing the paper on his bedstand. After getting clean again, Petra put on a touch of makeup and a casual dress for dinner, it was so much easier than trying to decide which pants went with which shirt and a sweater in case it was cold and.. These were the times when it was just so nice to be a girl. She headed to the elevator and kitchen, smelling what seemed to be orange chicken among other things.
"Take out?"
Steve and Clint nodded at her, their mouths full of food. Clint swallowed and replied.
"Chinese. Everyone else will be down soon, dig in." Petra did so happily, hungry after having gone several hours without eating. Sure enough, Bruce Tony and Natasha showed up quickly after her first few bites, and within a minute everyone was silently stuffing their faces with chinese takeout. It felt almost like… a home.
But the peace didn't last long. After a few minutes of silently eating, Jarvis' voice came up on the speakers in the ceiling.
"Sir, it appears Dum-e has managed to spill some dangerous chemicals in your lab. I believe this should be dealt with immediately by yourself or Dr Banner."
"Alright thank you Jarvis. Petra you come with me as backup alright." She nodded and finished swallowing her last bite of chow mein before quickly standing and following Tony into the elevator.