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disclaimer: do not own mcu or their characters
restart my heart
interlude i
the first appearance
time frame; may — 6 & ½ years ago
stark industries
Calling Peter Parker her "babysitter" is a stretch of the word. It's really just a simple…placeholder. Only because there was a lack of a better word to call him. Definitely not best friend or even friend but more than an acquaintance but also not family. Someone who occasionally stopped by. A slightly older person who on the rare occasion watched her for a few hours when no one could. Too old to be called a "playmate."
He was originally nicknamed "babysitter" as a cover for nosey paparazzi that managed to grab the occasional photo of the two on the rare times he was seen out in public with her and her dad. Babies leading babies, as mom would say with a disapproving nod at dad's poor attempt to humor the public with a teenage nanny. Happy or even Rhodey would fit the babysitter role more than Peter ever could.
Sophia Maria Stark can count on one hand how many times she has actually met Peter Parker in person. Not accounting the very brief video calls her dad had with him in his spare time. And not including the stories she's heard from Rodgers or Sam or even Bucky.
Just as insufferable as Wilson, Natasha once jokingly said to her in her brief wondering on how the web slinger handled himself in the fight in Berlin. Her nine year old self was so excited to hear about how her "babysitter" fought alongside her dad.
Blissfully unaware of the weight that hung on Natasha's shoulders and the pain her dad carried fighting against a man he, begrudgingly from time to time, will call a friend. And even in more rare moments, family.
Always blissfully unaware. Unknowing. Little, silly, and ignorant Sophia Maria Stark. Sophia Stark who foolishly pushed her own dad to his death.
All for Peter Parker. A child, a nerd, a sorta babysitter. A person she wouldn't even call a friend. Who was an acquaintance she admired from afar. Just like all the other heros her dad managed to befriend.
He came to her thoughts every once in a while after the snaps. Mainly when she caught her dad late at night looking at photos he's hidden away. Unaware she knew about them the day he stashed the photos of the teen in the kitchen cabinet or locked away in his desk. She could see the regret shine in her dad's eyes so brightly it pierced at her own heart.
For Peter Parker. Who was only in their lives for such a short period of time. Only a few instances of actual face to face conversations about Star Wars and Barbie. So few she could count on one hand yet made such a footprint on all of the Starks' lives it feels like it should be more. Feels like she's known him her whole life.
Sure she has to use all her fingers on said hand but it still counts as one hand. It's not as if she grew up with him. She's only known him for a year and a half. Maybe two. After the blimp, time begins to muddle. She's been alive without him more than she's known him and vice versa for him.
Yet each memory is just as impactful as the last.
.
.
.
existence
Sophia first learned of Peter Parker's existence while sitting in Pepper Pott's office a few months shy of turning nine years old. Sitting at a small table Pepper had brought in for Sophia to occupy after the homeschooling she did right down the hall at Stark Industries until it was time to go home. Right in front of the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city. Sophia always felt like her own version of a superhero being so high in the sky with this view. A bit powerful too. She's always wondered if this is how her dad felt flying around in his suit.
Pepper, not only her home school teacher but now doubling as mom in every legal sense of the word, typed away on her computer with a cellphone held between her left cheek and shoulder. An iPad presenting marketing strategies propped up in a holder to her right. A tell tale sign to Sophia that she wouldn't be leaving this office until dad comes and physically drags her out.
With Pepper's attention occupied elsewhere, Sophia pushes her homework assignments to the side and pulls out her own tablet with a pink case. Her favorite color. And bypasses the parental controls with ease. She is Tony's daughter after all.
Not sure how she got here or what event led to this moment. Maybe it was fate. She was recommended video after video after video of a strange kid in a poorly made onesie lifting what looks to be at least a 10 year old car over his head. Video appropriately titled, "Compilation of Queen's Spider-Kid Most Epic Fails".
Zooming in she could see the stitching in the red and blue cloth slowly fall apart and she's pretty sure whoever this kid is is wearing those pool goggles upside down. Or maybe it's the ends of flashlights made into a set of goggles. She's not entirely sure.
"Hey man, that's my car! What are you doing?" A guy in the video hollers. Arms flailing about in anger gestures.
Sophia laughs and tilts her head a tad as she watches the kid in the onesie hop from one foot to the other anxiously. Still holding onto the car above his head. His arms wobble. Doesn't look like he can keep it up for much longer.
"S-sorry sir." The vigilante stutters. "There was a puppy trapped underneath so-"
"So you throw my fucking car in the air?" The other guy grits out. Still keeping a safe distance from the short guy with superhuman strength. "Do I look like I got money to replace that? I'm wearing a McDonald's uniform! Put my damn car down!"
Sophia glances up to see if Pepper heard the curse word. She's still typing away. Eyes focused on the graphs and charts in front of her.
"I'm putting it back, sir. I just needed to move it because the puppy is injured sir." The kid rushes out. Words slurring together with how fast he's trying to explain. The car that's being held lets out a loud creak.
The camera zooms out as the red and blue masked kid tries to gently place the car back on the road. The car shakes and rattles. "There you go, sir. All in a days work for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!" He boasts proudly. Arm stretched out to give a thumbs up.
The front bumper falls off. Sophia stifles another laugh.
"What the fuck—"
Her tablet was forcibly removed from her hands with such speed Sophia can't help but flinch. Pepper gazes down at her with disapproval. Sophia cringes. "I was going to do my homework eventually…"
Pepper clicks her tongue and shakes her head in displeasure. "Sophia," she says in warning. "What do you think is the real reason why I'm upset with you?"
Letting out a big sigh, Sophia responds, "For getting rid of parental controls. Again…For the third time this week."
"Three days. No electronics. No suits. No heros." Pepper reaches down to move Sophia's worksheets back in front of her on the table. Adjusting her mechanical pencil in a straight line to the right.
"Mooooom!" Sophia moans. Slouching in her chair with a pout.
"You were warned, Sophia. Tony told you if it happens again I get to pick the punishment." Pepper turns off the tablet and shuts the case closed before depositing it in her desk drawer. "The controls are there for safety. They're not to be messed with. You know that."
Kicking her feet underneath her desk, Sophia mumbles under her breath. "I like it better when dad handles punishments."
"One week."
The first time Sophia Maria Stark became aware of Peter Parker's existence was the first time ever in her life she also got grounded.
.
.
.
"Now, " Tony whispers, adjusting the baby pink comforter above their heads with one hand. "Don't tell mom."
His other hand brings out her tablet and places it between them. The back of the case folds to prop the screen for acceptable viewing and vibrantly showing the Disney Plus logo. Sophia grins wide.
The father daughter duo laid on their stomachs under Tony's workbench with Sophia's bed comforter covering them head to toe for extra stealth. There's no way mom will come down here, she thinks.
"Did you remember the snacks?"
Sophia giggles and lifts up the front of her hoodie a couple inches away from her stomach. Smushed bags of candy plop to the floor. "Yes, daddy."
Tony picks up a butterfinger. Wrapper torn in some places and chocolate pieces coming out of those tears. The candy clearly not surviving the journey from the pantry to downstairs.
He waves the beaten chocolate bar in front of her face. "This is what you bring me? After all the stealth work I did so we can watch Moana? This is how you repay me?"
"Daaaad!" Sophia cries out with exasperation. "I had to fight DUM-E off for these! It's not my fault."
He gives her a blank stare before flicking the candy in her face. "I'm telling mom you took the tablet."
Sophia shrieks with laughter and tosses the candy bar back. The blanket falls in between them, creating a barrier, when Tony flinches backward to avoid being hit in the eye.
Sophia scrambles to grab the bag of m&m's and skittles to use as more ammunition. Tony quickly reaches out to shove her hands aside before reaching towards Sophia to drag her closer to him. "You can't escape me. I am Iron Man!" Tony exclaims with booming laughter. Hands pinching and tickling Sophia's sides.
Neither of them notice the tablet fall over and slide out of their fallen makeshift fort. The blanket wraps around their legs and torso. Sophia kicking and gasping for air between laughs.
"Dad, stop! I'm sorry! Daddy!" Sophia gasps out. "Don't tell mom! We had a deal!"
"Should have signed a contract, kid."
Sophia kicks her feet into her dads stomach. Tony quickly releases her on impact and she doesn't hesitate to use the opening to roll away. Tugging the blanket along with her until she became a pink burrito.
She rolls right into a pair of black heels. Sophia burrows her head into her blanket trying to hide away. She doesn't have the courage to look her mom in the eye.
"Tony, you're grounded for a week."
"What? But I'm in my thirties!" Tony stammers.
Sophia lets out another laugh as Pepper reaches down to pull the comforter down from Sophia's face. Sophia's blue eyes meet an amused piercing hazel. "It was dad's idea." Sophia immediately says. Tony lets out a quick mumble to call her a traitor.
Pepper lets out a quiet laugh and smiles down at Sophia. "I know."
end of: interlude i ; the first appearance
tumblr: reneeturnson
word count: 1.878