AUTHOR'S NOTES/DISCLAIMER: Woot! Chapter 9 finally DONE. See, I told you guys I'd finish it. ;) Anyway I was thinking about introducing Steve sometime soonish what do you think? Although, Steve's personality will be based on caitmonty's (her TS/SR fic is called "Beginnings, Middles and Endings" go read it if you haven't it's so GOOD!) which I had also intoduced in my other fic "Daddy's Home" and btw I will continue it just as soon as I get new plot ideas for it. My Steve muse isn't as loud at the moment so by writing him into "Opportunity" I hope to revive him enough to get things shaking between Peter and Tony.
There were whispers talking above Peter's head. Sweet, gentle whispers that made him smile and think warm happy thoughts.
"Hey, I think I saw him smile! He's waking up!"
"Peter? Peter can you hear me?"
"I must be in heaven, I hear angels…"
Peter's vision began to clear and right above him he could see Tony's grinning face.
"Good morning sunshine!"
"Oh God I went straight to hell," Peter groaned and rubs at his eyes with the balls of his hands, "and why does hell feel like a fluffy king sized bed?"
"Actually we're at Tony's penthouse, it was the closest place from where the explosion happened," Pepper said sitting on the bedside at Peter's left; Peter's eyes went wide.
He went from face to face seeing Pepper, Tony, Nathalie and MJ in the room. He was half surprised (mostly relieved) that Aunt May wasn't in the room as well, Peter's hands went up to his face looking blindly for his mask.
"JEEZ do you all know?" This was bad. Totally, totally BAD.
"Well actually…" Pepper began and looked somewhat guilty.
"We've been tracking you," this came from Nathalie, "for several months now. I'm actually surprised Tony could rub two brain cells together and figure it out on his own. He almost compromised the whole operation when he got involved in that fight of yours just now."
"Tracking? What do you mean tracking?" Peter asked while trying to get out of bed, both MJ and Pepper tried to gently push him back down, "Peter calm down, you really hit your head back there,"
"Hey I did my job, I saved his life. You should be on your hands and knees thanking me!" Tony said defensively while crossing his arms across his chest.
Nathalie only gave him an impassive look.
"Okay just on your knees then," Tony offered her a lopsided grin.
"In my defense," MJ cuts in, "I saw you on the news and that's when Tony called me from your cell telling me to come over and take care of you."
"So what happened?"
"Pumpkin Boy got loose somehow and threw a bomb at us, then everything went kaboom, you pushed me off the side of the building—bravo by the way, you're pretty spry for a puny thing—a chunk of the building hit you on the head on the way down I saved you and carried you off back to my place," Tony said all in one breath, to which Peter thought was mildly impressive. MILDLY mind you.
"Uh, so what happened to Harry?" Peter blinked and looks at the women.
"He got away," Nathalie answered while checking the back of Peter's head, "Impressive Parker, you heal pretty quickly for a guy that should be in a coma."
Peter blushes at this, "Yeah it sorta comes with the spider DNA…"
"ANYHOO," now it was Tony's turn to interrupt, "We're starting a club funded by the FBI, you want in?"
"We are?" Nathalie asked while turning her attention and eyed him incredulously.
"Okay Nick Fury is, so you want in or not?"
"This "Mob boss" persona of yours doesn't really suit you. It's best you stick to what you know, Tony."
"And he's back," MJ smiled warmly at Peter.
"Alright ladies I've got jobs for each and every one of you," Tony claps his hands together while he quickly began issuing assignments to the three women, "MJ my dear why don't you get Peter here something to eat, I bet he's starving the poor kid! Pepper I need you to represent me at some of my meetings. Oh hell all of my meetings, give them my sincere apologies for not showing up, you know the drill. And Nat I need you to call your daddy Nick, tell him Peter's on board with the Avenger thing,"
"Hey I never said-! Don't speak for me!" Peter protested as he watched Tony pushed the girls out of the room. Tony on his part waved a dismissive hand at Peter as though he told him, "I got this, babe,"
"If he has any questions—and I know he will—have him call my cell, he should have me on speed dial by now. Okay thanks ladies! Bye-bye now!" Tony grins at them one last time before closing the door and locking it behind him, Peter cowered a little under the sheets. Oh crap.
"For fuck's sake Parker, what is it with you and red heads?" Tony turned and laughed while finding the Natalie, MJ and Pepper situation mildly amusing.
"What's the matter Tony, you jealous or something?" Peter tried to sound tough and he could not believe both his luck and the delicious irony of the situation.
"As a matter of fact…" Tony smiled and climbed into bed with Peter.
"Hey get off!" Peter frowned while trying to push Tony out of the bed only to find that movement at this time made his aches and pain all the worst causing Peter to wince and moan.
"I was worried about you, I hope you know," Tony sat comfortably in Peter's space and rested his palm against the side of his temple while looking down at Peter.
"Please don't start…"
"We never really got a chance to talk about that kiss…" Tony walked his fingers up Peter's arm up to the shoulder.
"What's there to talk about? You kissed me, so what?"
"SO WHAT?" Tony both sounded and looked offended, "You should be on pins and needles every time I look at you. Or touch you…" he teased and tried tickling Peter on his side.
"HAH! Like that will ever happen!" Peter swats at the offending hand.
"Oh come on Parker, what's it going to take to prove to you that I'm being serious?"
"And how do you know that I'm not being serious about not being attracted to men?"
Tony stopped and actually frowned! Peter attention was suddenly caught by this revelation and his mind began to wonder on the sudden possibility that Tony was being serious in pursuing some sort of relationship with him.
"You're not attracted to me then?" Pout.
"Uh…" Peter uttered and was rendered speechless for a second, "would you kill me if I said I wasn't?"
Tony suddenly looked like Christmas was cancelled and Peter decided that he hated seeing that look on the older man's face, "Well I'm not not attracted to you, I guess?"
"Parker I swear that if you are just saying that to spare what little pride I have left—"
"No, I mean it! I er… well what I mean is—hey! Don't smile at me like that!" Peter flushed while trying to keep a strong demeanor now that Tony had the look of a cat that just ate the canary.
"So back to my earlier question: what's it going to take to show you that I want more than just a working relationship with you?"
The young man lets out a frustrated and defeated sigh, "Lots of work, you've got to show me that you're not making all this up just to get me in the sack with you."
Tony makes a gesture at their current position, "A little late for that don't you think?"
Peter shoves him completely off the bed, "Jerk." He called over the side to which Tony laughed loudly from the floor, "Bunny, can bite."
...